


Immortals

by nh8343



Series: Immortals-verse [1]
Category: Super Junior, Super Junior-M
Genre: Found Family, M/M, Past Character Death, Post-Apocalypse, corrupted government, dystopian setting, equal parts drama/angst and humor, justified use of stage names, kyuhyun is the latest recruit, some language, some suggestive themes, suju are freedom fighters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-01
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 06:37:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 46,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20466647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nh8343/pseuds/nh8343
Summary: In the wake of the nuclear catastrophe that should have meant the end of the world, a group of Korea’s finest must take a stand against injustice...but this ragtag group of Resistance fighters will have to suffice.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (Crossposted from AFF 8/31/2019)
> 
> Four years later, the last of my wayward fics is finally coming home to AO3. I’ve grown a lot as a writer since I first posted Immortals (I still haven’t convinced myself to reread it since posting), but this universe will always be near and dear to my heart.

Humans, Kyuhyun has concluded, are inherently stupid lifeforms. And it’s not just the ridiculous fight over supplies he only narrowly escaped from a few minutes ago that triggers this revelation. The proof is everywhere he looks: in the few scattered plants struggling to survive, in the Clusters of desperate people trying to do the same, in the noxious yellow-brown clouds of radiation that still linger on the horizon. Really, ever since a group of button-happy politicians two years ago had decided that sure, nuclear war was a great solution for everybody, Kyuhyun has witnessed nothing to prove his statement wrong.

When the warheads had made contact with civilization, the world hadn’t seen it coming. There was no dramatic buildup, no sealing them up inside nuclear shelters or vaults, no time to say goodbye. Just a chain reaction of shit-there’s-a-warhead-maybe-I-should-launch-mine-too until “oops, we sorta blew up the world.”

Not that the bombs were the end of the story, of course, or else the other survivors wouldn’t be here for Kyuhyun to eternally judge and passive-aggressively avoid. It just means that most people are dead, most cities are leveled, the only way to get from one place to another (the merchants and their oxen-pulled wagons aside) is to walk, and getting too close to any residual radiation means a slow and painful death. But other than that, it’s just peachy.

Kyuhyun absentmindedly draws his key out of his pocket, fitting it into the lock and swinging the door to his home open with a  _ creak _ . For a moment, the bag of purchased supplies balanced in his free arm begins to slip out of his hold, before he readjusts himself with lightning-fast reflexes, saving the food and water from an unwelcome meeting with the ground. Kyuhyun can’t help the cocky smirk that appears on his face; contrary to popular belief, all those hours of gaming pre-nuclear apocalypse  _ haven’t  _ been for nothing.

Speaking of the apocalypse, where was he? Ah, right, the self-inflicted near-extinction of the human race. Suffice it to say that the political scene hadn't gotten better in the two years that followed. The only difference was that the idiots in power are now less so idiots and more so highly-networked, power-hungry scumbags.

The ones Kyuhyun knows about, that is. Communication and transportation were, for the most part, unsalvageable after the destruction the bombs had wreaked, so he only knows about what goes on in the irradiated area around him, part of which used to be southern South Korea. Clouds of radiation prevent land travel beyond what he can see on the horizon, and with the ocean irradiated as well, somewhere out of view, no one risks overseas travel. The people here are effectively stranded, left with nothing other than the Capital and the few Clusters of Outsiders who refuse to live within the Capital’s walls, like the one Kyuhyun calls home.

As for the government in the Capital...there’s a reason Kyuhyun isn’t living with his parents. They’d both been dragged away by a group of the city’s policemen over a year ago for reasons Kyuhyun still didn’t know, and he’s never really forgiven “Mayor” Park, the head of the Capital snake.

Kyuhyun sets his bag down on the table inside, not needing to walk far to get there. His residence is more like a shack than a house, hastily fortified with material from the ruins of some pre-war settlement. He doesn’t mind; it ensures that no one ever asks to stay. Because if there’s one thing Kyuhyun generally can’t tolerate, it’s━

_ Bang! Bang! Bang! _

...other people. Kyuhyun aggressively rolls his eyes. Who thought it was even remotely a good idea to pound on his door in the middle of the afternoon? Screw it; he’s not going to let them in. Whatever it’s about, it can wait at least until after he puts his food and water away.

The pounding ceases, Kyuhyun lets out a relieved sigh, and everything is back to normal. That is, it  _ would _ be, if the telltale  _ creak _ of the door opening wasn’t echoing through the shack a few moments later, making Kyuhyun halt in his movements.

Very quietly, he reaches behind his back to slide open the drawer and curl his fingers around the handle of a knife, a weapon he always keeps on hand for self-defense. He’s only used it once in the past, and even then it was only to threaten some idiot who’d tried to steal from him...but history might have to repeat itself a little more violently today. Weapon in hand, he slinks over and presses himself flat against the wall that separates the kitchen and the front entrance. If the intruder comes through the open doorway, he or she will be very unpleasantly surprised.

“Hello? Anyone here?” the intruder calls from very close by, and Kyuhyun immediately narrows down his assortment of mental images. The intruder is male, probably a few years older than Kyuhyun is, and his voice is slightly muffled ━ a face mask, maybe? That’s strange; Outsiders don’t wear them because they hardly ever leave their Cluster, so there’s no risk in coming across stray radiation. Who would…?

Movement catches Kyuhyun’s eye, and he lunges, aiming to pin the stranger to the ground. He definitely makes contact, but what he isn’t expecting is  _ resistance _ . Before Kyuhyun can fully process the situation, he’s lying on the floor, knife yanked out of his hand and wrists held in a sturdy grip. The intruder is still hard to make out, his facemask covering all but his eyes and a mop of brown hair. But really, Kyuhyun has more pressing questions, like, for instance…

“What the hell are you doing in my house!?”

The grip on Kyuhyun’s wrists loosens, and the intruder at least sounds apologetic when he says, “Sorry. I didn’t want to attack you, but you  _ did _ just try to kill me.”

“Not kill. Just neutralize while I figure out, once again, why you’re here. Now if you could please get off…”

“I will, okay? I don’t want any trouble.”

“Says the one who broke into my house.”

The intruder doesn’t respond, seeming to realize that arguing with Kyuhyun was a useless venture. Instead, he stands, finally allowing Kyuhyun to regain control of his limbs, and offers a hand so the other man can do the same. By the time Kyuhyun is back on his feet, he’s surprised to see the intruder had taken the liberty of removing his facemask, uncovering the rest of his features.

“Lee Donghae,” the intruder ━ Donghae ━ says with a smile. “I’m with the Resistance.”

And alright, for the sake of full disclosure, Kyuhyun may forget to respond for a brief moment, because the radiant smile on Donghae’s face temporarily short-circuits his brain before he gets himself together. He blames the radiation.

The moment of weakness over, he holds out his hand for the other man to shake. “Cho Kyuhyun,” he says. “I...wait, what’s the Resistance doing so far outside the Capital?”

Donghae’s face turns serious, which would have more of an effect if Kyuhyun hadn’t started finding him rather endearing. Puppy-eyes like that do things to people. “There’s going to be a raid,” Donghae tells him, all traces of lightheartedness gone. “We got word of it on one of the government frequencies; there’s going to be Drones all over this place in an hour.”

“You mean the police?”

“They can’t really be called ‘police’ when they’ve been literally brainwashed into submission. Haven’t you been keeping up with the news?”

Kyuhyun’s eyebrows furrow. “Brainwashed? What are you━?”

A loud commotion from outside catches his attention, and he breaks off mid-sentence. Next to him, Donghae presses a button on his earpiece, saying “Hyukj ━sorry,  _ Eunhyuk _ ━ what’s going on?” Kyuhyun can’t hear the response, but a few seconds later Donghae swears and asks, “What do you need me to do? ...Yeah, I did...Got it. Good luck.”

Donghae turns to Kyuhyun, a determined look in his eyes. “The Drones are here early. We need to hide.”

“And they’re going to do what? Drag us all off to be brainwashed?” With a sudden twist in his gut, Kyuhyun thinks back to the fate of his parents. At the time they’d been taken, he’d assumed the worst case was them being killed, but now...now isn’t the time to linger on that thought.

“Not right away.” Donghae doesn’t even look at Kyuhyun when he answers, his eyes instead darting around the room. “They’d imprison you first, and eventually they’d inject the serum, implant the microchip. It might take days of waiting in one of their prisons, or it might take years. But more importantly right now...is there anywhere we can hide?”

“Umm.” Kyuhyun is a bit too preoccupied fighting against his impending panic to think straight. “There’s...I don’t know? The cupboards?” He can almost feel the metaphorical lightbulb switch on above his head. “The storage compartment in the other room is under a trap door. If we take some of the junk out, it might work.”

Donghae gives him a relieved smile. “Good. Let’s get it done.”

✯

Two minutes and one tight fit later, the pair are squished into the small space. Kyuhyun has managed to end up nestled in between Donghae’s legs, his back pressed up against the other man’s chest. Which, under other circumstances, he would have been more than okay with, but right now it’s just plain uncomfortable.

Sound is muffled by the covered hatch above their heads, blocking out everything aside from Kyuhyun’s own quiet breathing. It if wasn’t for the commotion earlier, he wouldn’t even believe there was a raid going on. He’s just about to ask Donghae if the threat has passed when he suddenly feels the other tense against his back.

“Our squad leader just radioed me,” Donghae whispers. “The Drones didn’t find him, but a group of them is heading our way.”

Kyuhyun nods before he remembers that they’re in total darkness. “Got it. You locked the door, right?”

“No, that would make it look like someone’s still here. I’m hoping they’ll think you ran away or were already captured.”

“Are you crazy!?” It’s more of a whisper-yell. “What if━ _ mmph _ !”

Donghae’s hand clamps down over his mouth, cutting off his words.

“They’re here,” Donghae murmurs, barely audible.

Sure enough, if Kyuhyun concentrates, he can hear the sound of footsteps passing over the front door’s threshold. One set heads to the kitchen, and two others grow louder, approaching the back room. The sound of cabinets banging open and furniture being upturned is suddenly everywhere. Kyuhyun shrinks back against Donghae, hardly daring to breathe.

He doesn’t know if it’s seconds that tick by or minutes, but whatever the case, they’re some of the most tense moments of Kyuhyun’s life. At some points, he simply closes his eyes and imagines he’s somewhere else. A party, maybe, with a few unruly guests in the other room. A concert with an out-of-control mosh pit. A friendly game of hide-and-seek. Anything to stop himself from panicking.

“Kyuhyun, they’re gone. We can stop hiding.”

A soft voice breaks Kyuhyun out of his trance. There’s a slight tremor running through him, something he notices when he sees his hands shaking. “Okay,” he manages to get out, embarrassed at his own weakness.

_ Pull yourself together. _

Holding on to what remains of his dignity, Kyuhyun reaches up to slide the hatch of the compartment open. His hands still shake, but he grits his teeth and tries to look confident as he pushes the odds and ends hiding the trapdoor out of the way before they can fall on his head. At last, light shines through to illuminate the small space. Kyuhyun has to blink a few times at the brightness, but he’s able to see well enough to push the trapdoor open the remaining few inches and get out, extending a helping hand so that Donghae can do the same.

In the silence that follows, Kyuhyun is at a loss for what to do. One look at his vandalized home has him grasping at straws. So when Donghae radios his squad leader ━ Eunhyuk, he remembers Donghae calling him ━ that they’re safe, and asks Kyuhyun to follow him, Kyuhyun reflexively agrees. What else is he supposed to do?

“The rest of my team is meeting in the center of the Cluster,” Donghae tells him as they walk. “The other two are bringing anyone else they could save, and I’m bring you.”

Kyuhyun can’t help himself; he lets out a short laugh, an attempt at getting over the shock from before. “So, what?” he asks. “Am I your damsel in distress? You’re going to show me off as proof of your chivalry?”

Donghae’s expression turns sheepish. “I didn’t mean it like  _ that _ . You were the one who actually found us a hiding place, after all.”

Had he more time, Kyuhyun would shoot back with what he thinks is an incredibly witty comment, but too soon they spot the others a short distance away. Or, at least, Kyuhyun assumes they’re the others ━ the beat-up rebel look kind of gave them away, along with Donghae’s enthusiastic waving and call of, “Eunhyuk, Yesung, over here!”

The two turn at the sound of Donghae’s voice, quickly moving to close the distance between themselves and their third squadmate. Clustered behind them is a group of three Outsiders who Kyuhyun recognizes from the marketplace. They’re one of the groups that have been saved, he figures. No matter how much he insults the rest of the people here, it’s still comforting to see that not everything has changed, not everyone is lost.

“Donghae!” Kyuhyun guesses this is Eunhyuk, judging from the way he walks ahead of the others. “Good to see you in one piece.” Eunhyuk gestures to Kyuhyun. “This is who you were with?”

Donghae nods. “This is Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun, meet Eunhyuk,” he introduces.

And really, Kyuhyun would be a bit more polite under normal circumstances, but as he begins to bow, he’s suddenly hit with a horrible feeling of dread. So instead, he finds himself asking, “Is this...is this everyone who’s left? Three people?”

“We did what we could,” Eunhyuk tells him, expression darkening. “Yesung and I could only hide with so many on short notice.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t be hiding like cowards!” Kyuhyun snaps at him. “Maybe if you’d actually fought them like heroes, or whatever the hell the Resistance is supposed to be, then the whole Cluster wouldn’t have just been abducted while you did nothing!”

Halfway through the rant, Kyuhyun realizes he’s being an asshole ━ more so than usual. But at this point he’s really just looking for someone to blame for taking his consistent, if boring, world and turning it upside down in the span of less than an hour.

Eunhyuk, for a few seconds, doesn’t say a word. Then, with hands clearly struggling not to curl into fists, he says coldly, “Our team is Shadow Squad. We’re not prepared for a direct firefight, and the Drones didn’t exactly follow their own schedule. So we did everything we could to at least save some without throwing our and their lives away. You should take that anger and direct it at someone who deserves it.”

That’s when shame hits Kyuhyun like a punch to the stomach, only made worse when he catches the kicked-puppy expression on Donghae’s face in his peripheral vision. It’s the first time he bows a full 90 degrees in years, quickly apologizing before the situation gets even worse.

Eunhyuk says nothing, and Kyuhyun doesn’t raise his head. Though his back protests, Kyuhyun figures that if he looks respectable enough, he’ll seem much less like a brat who can’t control his temper. He deserves a better first impression.

Finally, Eunhyuk sighs, saying, “It’s...fine. I understand why you’re angry.” (Kyuhyun’s spine cheers as he’s free to stand up straight.) It’s not quite forgiveness, which Kyuhyun can understand, but the look on Eunhyuk’s face is at least less hostile.

The third Resistance member ━Yesung, was it?━ speaks up from behind the squad leader. “What if there  _ was _ a way for you to redirect all that anger?”

“Yesung…” There’s a warning in Eunhyuk’s voice.

“I’m serious. After what happened, we need all the new help we can get. And all of the Outsiders we’ve come across so far...they’re not what we need. They haven’t been interested in fighting back.”

Eunhyuk lets out a huff, looking up at the sky as if to ask,  _ Why me? _ He fixes Kyuhyun with a hard stare. “So...what’s your name, again?”

“Kyuhyun.”

“Right. So, Kyuhyun, you really want to protect these people, and you think you can do it better than me. Why don’t you prove it? Join the Resistance.”

Kyuhyun blinks, sure he’s misheard. “You...want me to join? I don’t think I’m exactly qualified.”

“You don’t have to be,” Donghae says, speaking up at Kyuhyun’s side. “None of us were when we first joined. You just have to be willing to fight, and…” He pauses a moment to squeeze Kyuhyun’s arm, and the latter would forever deny the sudden reddening of his face. “And you’ve got muscles,” Donghae continues with a smile, oblivious to the reaction. “Maybe not enough for Boom Squad, but we could use someone else on our team.”

“Umm…”

Not exactly how Kyuhyun had imagined his afternoon turning out. This morning, the idea of joining the infamous rebel fighters would have seemed laughably ridiculous. And yet, here he was. It would be perfectly easy to say no, but calling Eunhyuk a coward and then not backing up his words...he was a cynic, not a hypocrite.

“Okay, sure. I’ll join.”

The stupidly wide grin on Donghae’s face is totally worth it.


	2. Chapter 2

“We’re here,” Eunhyuk says suddenly, bringing Kyuhyun to a halt. Relief is his first reaction, since he’s been walking for over an hour with a bag of all the food and clothes that he can carry, and he’s exhausted. Then it’s confusion, because how in the world was anyone supposed to distinguish this spot from any other? Sure, there was the group of rocks, but they’d passed identical places on the way here. How was someone━wait.

“Is it the flowers?” Kyuhyun asks, gesturing to the red-gold plants that bloom near the rocks. “How to tell where you’re hiding out, I mean.”

Eunhyuk nods. “Good guess. These aren’t native to the area, so we transplanted them here to find our way back. The catch is that anyone from the Capital, Drones included, won’t realize that they’re out of place.”

_ Clever. _

“But it’s not as awesome as the actual hideout,” Donghae pipes up. “Just wait until you see the Bunker. I always love the expressions on the new recruits’ faces.”

“What makes you think that I’m the type to swoon over your super secret Hobbit hole?”

Kyuhyun isn’t even finished with the remark before Eunhyuk is crouching down next to one of the rocks. He presses his thumb into what Kyuhyun can now see is a cleverly-disguised sensor, and a panel slides aside, creating a yawning opening the ground. Even Kyuhyun has to admit that the entrance, at the very least, is something to brag about.

Eunhyuk stands. “You need a valid thumbprint to get into the Bunker, obviously,” he says to Kyuhyun. “We’ll add yours to the database after you complete your first mission. But once you’re in the system, the most important thing to remember is that the entrance needs to be re-armed every time it’s used. After we go in, there’s another keypad on the inside. It only takes a second, but if someone forgot, anyone could get in. That’s how our original members were able to start using it as a hideout in the first place. Understood?”

“Sounds simple enough. Now are you going to try and impress me or not?”

He gets an eyeroll in return, along with an over-exaggerated gesture at the revealed stairs. “Lead the way.”

✯

As it turns out, the inside of the Bunker is just as surprising as its entrance. The rats, broken pipes, and generally creepy atmosphere Kyuhyun was expecting (it  _ is _ a hole in the ground, in his defense, if a very high-tech one) are the opposite of what he discovers; the long staircase leads down into a well-lit central room, and there are two hallways extending from either side, as well as two sets of stairs leading up and down a level, respectively. Another entryway leads to a room in the back, but Kyuhyun can’t see what’s inside.

“ _ Yah _ , Eunhyuk! You dragged in another lost puppy?”

While Kyuhyun was putting down his bags, another man had emerged from one of the hallways , looking at him with one eyebrow raised and an unimpressed expression on his face. As the man walks over to them, however, Kyuhyun is too distracted by the dark-reddish mop of hair on his head to feel too judged.

“It was Yesung’s idea,” Eunhyuk mutters before introducing them. “Kyuhyun, this is Heechul. Heechul, Kyuhyun.”

They briefly greet each other before Heechul crosses his arms and says, “Just so you know, there’s no need here for honorifics or even last names. We’re all equal, regardless of age, in the eyes of those dimwits running the Capital ━ equal in that they think we’re all vigilante wannabes, but still ━ so we ran with it. And avoiding our full names protects our identities in case some of our members’ families are still alive. Though  _ some _ people,” he says pointedly, smirking at Eunhyuk, “even went as far as changing their first names because they wanted to be cool.”

“What, you’re getting on my case, but not Yesung’s?”

Heechul shrugs. “You’re more amusing to make fun of. More importantly, Newbie, are you any good at fighting against brainwashed Drones, dismantling a corrupt oligarchy, and most importantly, not dying?

“Hopefully better than someone was at giving you a dye job,” Kyuhyun says before he can stop himself, and immediately wants to shove his foot into his mouth.

One, two, three beats of silence, and then Heechul lets out a surprised bark of laughter. “I like this kid! Alright, he can stay. Eunhyuk, go get Leeteuk, and Donghae and Yesung can get the others; let’s give the newbie a proper welcome.”

“Got it.”

“Fine.”

“Oh, and send Sungmin ahead of the others. I’ve been told his introductions are apparently more appreciated than mine.”

The group splits up, leaving Heechul and Kyuhyun behind, but not before Donghae claps Kyuhyun on the shoulder, saying, “And if Heechul starts to make you uncomfortable, just call and I’ll come running.”

“Uncomfortable?” Heechul snaps at the other man’s retreating form. “I have  _ standards _ , Donghae!”

“Whatever stops the tears,” Eunhyuk says dryly before retreating upstairs.

“Easy for you to say with a face like yours! You brats and your lack of respect these days…” Heechul turns back to Kyuhyun. “But as I was saying...are you listening to me?”

“Hmm? Yeah, go ahead.” Kyuhyun zones back in, aware that his eyes had been following Donghae’s exit for just a beat too long. It’s not like he was trying to be creepy about it; he can just appreciate nicely-toned biceps and...god, it sounds stupid, even in his own head. Heechul’s grinning at him like the cat that caught the canary, so it looks like there’s no getting out of this one.

“So, Kyuhyunnie, I’m guessing I can add you to the list of people who’ve had a thing for Donghae, then?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Don’t worry; you’re not the first. He’s very...affectionate. And he’s not exactly bad-looking.”

“Can we not talk about this?” Kyuhyun’s doing  _ such _ a great job with first impressions so far. Before, he was the brat with a temper, and now he’s the idiot with a middle-school crush. Which he does  _ not _ have, he should point out ━ it was only a lingering thought that had grown out of gratitude for the earlier rescue.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kyuhyun sees yet another Resistance member come in from the hallway. With a sympathetic glance at Kyuhyun, the newcomer asks, “Heechul, are you hitting on the new guy again?”

“Why is that everyone’s assumption!? Besides, Sungmin, you seem to have forgotten that one time that you━”

“Heechul.”

“Fine, I get it.” Heechul’s temper dies down enough for him to continue. “Sungmin, Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun, you can figure it out. Sungmin here joined a while ago, and we let him in because he’s loaded with cash. I’m kidding, Sungmin; don’t make that face. In all seriousness, though, his parents helped him get out of the Capital with the family fortune after his father was letting everyone know just how full of shit Mayor Park is. We picked him up at one of the Clusters, put him on Boom Squad, and pretty much survive on his cash reserves. And in case you two hit it off, I happen to know that Sungmin also has this kink━”

“Kim Heechul! We’re in charge of introductions, not emotionally scarring whoever walks through the door!”

“It was for your benefit!”

Sungmin rolls his eyes and turns to Kyuhyun. “I’m sorry about him. You’re probably standing there having no idea what you’ve signed up for by joining us, right?”

“The others weren’t exactly the explaining type,” Kyuhyun agrees. “All I’ve heard is that the politicians don’t have an honest bone in their body, which I knew, and Donghae mentioned brainwashing. That’s about it.”

“It’s fine,” Sungmin says with an easy smile, waving away Kyuhyun’s concerns. “That’s more than the people living in the Capital know. Here are the basics: the ‘great’ people in charge are tricking the citizens into thinking their lives are perfect, while they’re kidnapping Outsiders from their villages, along with any opposition inside the city walls, and putting them in prisons until they can brainwash them and make more Drones.”

“And you’re trying to save them.”

Sungmin’s smile falters. “The ones that haven’t been brainwashed yet, yes. But the ones who have…”

“There’s no cure,” Heechul finishes for the other man. “Sure, you can take out the microchip and cut off a Drone from the Capital’s control, but whatever chemicals they shoot the prisoners up with scrubs them of their identity. It’s why we don’t mind getting our hands dirty in a shootout ━ killing the Drones is the only humane thing to do.”

Kyuhyun’s eyebrows furrow. “But why create Drones in the first place? I mean, sure it helps get rid of the opposition, but wouldn’t the government’s normal police force be enough? With all the support behind them, it would only make sense.”

“Now you’re asking the right questions,” Heechul says, a conspiratorial light in his eyes. “If they have to rely on enslaving Outsiders to protect themselves, that means their only true defense is the delusions of the Capital citizens. And if those delusions were shattered…” He trails off, leaving the result to Kyuhyun’s imagination.

“But that’s a discussion for another time,” Sungmin cuts in. “The rest of the members will be here any minute.”

“And you still haven’t done my introduction, Sungmin; I’m wounded.”

“You could always just do it yourself. I’m assuming I’m here because you’re making me introduce all the others anyway.”

Heechul flashes him a thumbs-up. “You know me too well. Anyway, Kyuhyunnie, about two years ago━”

“Pretty sure I said not to call me that.”

“It stuck, now stop interrupting. About two years ago, not long after the world went to hell, Leeteuk and I decided to form the Resistance. Even that early on, we could see how power was falling into the hands of people who wanted it for all the wrong reasons. Pair that with what happened to our parents, and we figured we’d take a stand. Leeteuk became the leader and I became Strategist, his right-hand man.” He gives an exaggerated sigh. “And I’m also extremely popular with women, but now I’m trapped swimming in a cesspool of testosterone.”

Sungmin snorts. “That’s the worst lie you’ve ever told.”

“It’s not my fault so many of you are attracted to me and I’m sexually frustrated.”

Kyuhyun isn’t sure if he’s impressed or repulsed by Heechul’s shamelessness. Probably a little of both. “So...introductions?” he prompts.

Heechul snaps his fingers. “Right, there’s two more things before the others get here. First, this is going to sound harsh, but I promise it’s important...is your family still alive?”

“My parents were taken away over a year ago,” Kyuhyun says, distancing himself from the words coming out of his mouth. “My sister was in another country when the bombs hit, so I have no idea if she’s alive, either.”

“The same as Donghae’s brother. Hmm...it’s a slim chance, but still a chance.” Heechul considers him for a moment, cocking his head to the side. “We can change your hair a little; you’d look nice with a light brown, maybe a bit of a trim. Other than that, avoid using your last name and you shouldn’t jeopardize your parents’ chances if they’re still in jail.”

“Just as long as you don’t change your mind and decide to go with magenta.”

“Please, you wouldn’t look half as good as me, and it’d just be embarrassing. Speaking of embarrassing, though...Sungmin, we’ve got ourselves another Donghae fanboy.”

The glare Kyuhyun sends Heechul is murderous. “Was that really necessary?”

“It’s for your own good.”

The pitying look Sungmin gives Kyuhyun almost makes him believe those words. Almost.

“Kyuhyun,” Sungmin said, still with that  _ look _ , “I hate to be the one to tell you, but it’ll save you a world of trouble. Donghae’s taken. And not in a casual ‘dating someone else for the moment’ way. It’s a soulmates, epic love story kind of taken. I’m really sorry.”

He can’t say he’s not disappointed. It’s not he was head over heels in love with the guy ━they’d just met that day━ but he’d entertained the idea that maybe someday...well, it was irrelevant now, he supposed.

“Oh,” is all he can think to say, and then after a few beats of silence, “Who?”

“Eunhyuk.”

“What.”

Heechul snickers. “You wouldn’t think, right? With Donghae being so Donghae and Eunhyuk being so...not. Trust me, they keep it professional most of the time, but when they think none of us are looking, they’re the sappiest couple I’ve seen in my life. And don’t even get me started on the time I walked in on━”

“Heechul,” Sungmin says sharply. “Don’t you think this is a time for some discretion?”

“Right, sorry. But on the bright side, Kyuhyunnie, if you’re in the market for an attractive young man fighting for the greater good, we’re not in short supply. Sungmin  _ is _ still single, you know, if you want my personal recommendation.”

Thankfully, the rest of the Resistance chooses that moment to walk in, and Kyuhyun is spared from having to respond. Eunhyuk also reappears on the staircase as the others file in, saying, “Leeteuk’s going to be down in a few minutes. He’s finishing something, but we can start without him.”

Sungmin nods, and Kyuhyun allows himself one brief moment of jealousy as Eunhyuk goes to stand at Donghae’s side before he takes the feeling and kills it, just like he’s done with his faith in humanity and sense of empathy. (He’s only mostly joking.)

Once the members situated themselves in somewhat of a line, Sungmin begins. He faces the line of members, motioning for Kyuhyun to stand next to him. Heechul remains on Kyuhyun’s other side, which, judging from the past few minutes, will probably end with Kyuhyun feeling some level of mortified.

“So, like Donghae and Yesung probably told you, Shadow Squad picked up a new member on their last mission. This is Kyuhyun,” Sungmin says, and Kyuhyun is greeted with a chorus of different hellos. “He seems fine so far, and he managed to get Heechul’s seal of approval, so that says something. Now...I know we did this in order of ages last time, but I think it’ll be easier doing it in the order we joined. So if you guys could stand in the correct spots…”

There’s general muttering as Sungmin’s request is fulfilled, and Heechul snorts, saying, “This is why we can’t ever give Sungmin power. It goes straight to his head.”

“Okay.” Sungmin claps his hands together. “Let’s start. Heechul and Leeteuk were first, but you’ve already met one, and you can meet Leeteuk when he comes down. Next was Shindong.”

The man at the start of the line gives a brief wave. Kyuhyun likes the twinkle in his eyes ━ it means he probably has a good sense of humour or he’s just mischievous. Preferably both.

Sungmin continues, “Shindong discovered the Bunker even before the Resistance did. When Leeteuk and Heechul found it, he was part of the package. And it’s a good thing they found him, too; Shindong here is our key to taking down Mayor Park and his lackeys. He’s been working on different projects for years.”

“And while he would be a catch, he doesn’t bat for your team,” Heechul whispers in Kyuhyun’s ear, making the latter flinch from the sudden proximity.

“Then it was Eunhyuk and Donghae. You’ve met them already, but I’ll reintroduce them anyway. They joined up after Heechul and Leeteuk ran across them on one of the first missions, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Please take every opportunity to make fun of them; the rest of us do the same thing.”

Eunhyuk grumbles something about asshole friends and jealousy, but Donghae just laughs and moves closer to the other’s side. “You’d probably better get to the relevant parts before Eunhyuk starts blowing steam,” he says to Sungmin.

“But Kyuhyun already knows...Fine, just for your egos. Eunhyuk is leader of Shadow Squad, and Donghae’s on the same team, naturally.”

“If you value whatever’s left of your sanity, make sure you knock when their door is closed,” Heechul says with a snort. “Sometimes they forget to lock it and...please just knock.”

Kyuhyun really doesn’t need to be told twice.

“Next,” Sungmin says, “was Kangin.” A stern-looking man responds to the name, giving Kyuhyun a curt nod. 

“Kangin was an Outsider who helped the Resistance with a big stand-off against the Drones, and he agreed to join the Resistance effort after a sweeping victory. Now he’s leader of Boom Squad.”

There’s Heechul’s mouth by Kyuhyun’s ear again. “Kangin had this  _ thing _ with Leeteuk for a little while that none of us are allowed to talk about, but...that’s somewhat of a touchy subject.”

“After that, the most important member got added to the team.”

Shindong gives Sungmin a mock-serious look. “You introduced me already, Sungmin. You don’t have to do it again.”

“Hilarious. But I won’t repeat my own introduction after Heechul did such a...great job earlier.”

“Oh, come on, I was ten times more entertaining than you!”

“Moving on now.” Sungmin gestures to the next person in line. “Next, someone else you know: Yesung, our biological marvel. He has something in his genes that makes him immune to radiation up to a certain threshold, and we offered him protection from the Drones that were hunting him. We wanted to run some tests to see if the resistance could be replicated, but...we just don’t have the equipment to seriously try it. Anyway, Yesung’s stuck in Shadow Squad with the lovebirds.”

“We made out once,” Heechul whispers, shameless as ever, and Kyuhyun nearly chokes on air. “He was going through a questioning phase; I volunteered to help. Turns out he’s straight as a pole, and I don’t think he’s looked me in the eyes since.”

It’s not a mental image Kyuhyun particularly wanted.

Oblivious to Kyuhyun’s emotional trauma, Sungmin continues, “After that it was Siwon, and he certainly made an impression.” Kyuhyun personally thinks the biggest impression the man gives is  _ muscles _ . It’s like someone made a life-sized cutout of a model in a workout commercial.

“He managed to break out of prison to avoid getting brainwashed, escape the city, and run as far as he could without food or water until he collapsed. We made sure he got back on his feet, and he joined up as part of Boom Squad.”

Siwon gives Kyuhyun a warm smile. “And if you ever need to talk about your faith, I’m always here to listen.”

Even while Kyuhyun is nodding back, Heechul is muttering in his ear, “It’s a shame that man loves God more than he loves himself. Or anyone else, really. Because it’s the only reason I haven’t been all over those washboard abs. Don’t bother trying.”

Kyuhyun chases yet another disturbing picture from his head and tells himself that it’s almost over.

“Last, but not least, was Ryeowook,” Sungmin says fondly.

As Kyuhyun looks at the final member, he has the strangest urge to gather him in his arms and whisper, “You’re too precious for this world.” It’s...unsettling, but thankfully for his pride, not impossible to resist.  _ That _ would not have been fun to live down.

“Ryeowook is our cook and medic, as well as our representative when we have to buy from our supplier at one of the Clusters. Yesung saved him during a raid, and he insisted on joining up. Not that I’m complaining; it’s nice actually getting decent meals.”

Kyuhyun braces himself for the comment that’s sure to follow, but when nothing comes, he turns, confused, to Heechul.

“What? I’ve got nothing to say about Ryeowook; I like to keep myself under the impression that all he cares about are puppies and flowers. And giraffes.”

_ I’m not even going to ask. _

Sungmin lets out a breath. “Looks like that’s everyone. Now, when was Leeteuk going to━? Oh.”

At Sungmin’s expression, all of the members turn toward the back of the room, and Kyuhyun sees a man coming down from upstairs. At the bottom of the staircase, he freezes, his face going blank as he takes in the scene before him.

“Leeteuk...this is Kyuhyun, the new member,” Sungmin says, and Kyuhyun is surprised to hear the nervousness in his voice.

Leeteuk shoots a sharp look at Eunhyuk, who looks more than a little sheepish. “I wasn’t aware we were going to be adding someone else. Or that we felt the need to.”

“Of course we do,” Heechul speaks up, turning Leeteuk’s stony expression his way. “You of all people should know, Leeteuk, as leader. I can’t see any rational reason why an extra set of hands would be a bad thing. Do you have one?”

There isn’t a response to Heechul’s words, but the silent glaring match that follows probably holds more meaning than any words could.

“Fine. Get him ready for his first mission,” Leeteuk says, icy as December. “But he’s sharing a room with one of the other members. When things go wrong, I won’t be responsible for having to empty out his things.”

He doesn’t look at Kyuhyun once. Without another word, he simply turns and goes back upstairs.

“ _ Yah! _ Jungsoo!” Heechul calls, but to no avail. Hissing curses under his breath, he chases after the retreating leader.

The dead silence that remains is so full of tension, it’s nearly palpable. Kyuhyun feels a twisting sensation in his gut; the feeling of being so vocally unwanted...it stings, far more than he’d expected.

“Kyuhyun…” Sungmin lays a comforting hand on his shoulder, but doesn’t seem to know what to say.

“I should have told him before he came down,” Eunhyuk mutters. “Sorry.”

“Don’t think you’re unwanted, Kyuhyun,” Donghae says earnestly. “Leeteuk’s not normally like this. He’s just…”

“Troubled,” Siwon finishes for him.

Kyuhyun gives them a small smile, grateful for their words, if a bit embarrassed. But then he remembers what else the leader had said, and his expression dims. “Listen...I don’t want to impose on anyone, but━”

Ryeowook steps forward before Kyuhyun can finish the request. “You can share my room, Kyuhyun,” he says gently. “It’s larger than most of the others, so I really don’t mind.”

“Oh, alright. That’s...thanks,” Kyuhyun manages to get out in his state of surprise.

Maybe he’s not so unwanted after all.

✯

Sungmin doesn’t let the awkwardness from earlier stop him from giving Kyuhyun a full tour of the Bunker. The Boom Squad member seems excited to take him down the hallways, pointing out the kitchen, the armory, and all of the members’ rooms. They even go down into the basement ━Shindong’s lair━ so that Kyuhyun can see the impressive setup of computers and tech equipment, along with the generator stolen from the Capital that recharges the handy earpieces the members all own. (They’re battery-powered, Sungmin explains, and they were developed post-apocalypse using technology similar to a walkie-talkie, so that they would work even without cell towers...within a certain range of each other.)

The other man quickly grows on Kyuhyun, even within the short span of time they have together. It’s not something Kyuhyun’s used to ━enjoying the presence of another person━ but it’s refreshing, especially with Sungmin being so willing to lend a listening ear. It almost makes the earlier snub from Leeteuk fade away entirely.

Until it gets late and Sungmin drops Kyuhyun off at Ryeowook’s room, and he remembers the circumstances of why he’s rooming with someone else in the first place.

“Kyuhyun, there you are!” Ryeowook greets him after he opens the door. “Donghae brought your bags earlier, so I moved the food to the kitchen’s storage and folded all of your clothes...I hope that’s okay?”

_ No cuddling, Kyuhyun. Stop these thoughts right now. _

“Of course, thanks. But...you didn’t have to, you know. It’s already more than enough that you’re letting me share your room. I owe you a lot.”

Ryeowook shakes his head. “You don’t owe me anything; I’m just helping out a friend. Now come inside.”

“A friend?” Kyuhyun asks, stepping through the doorway. “This is our first real conversation.”

The other man doesn’t say anything at first, closing the door and crossing the room to sit on the bed with his legs folded. He shrugs and asks, “Why not? We’re brothers-in-arms now, and temporary roommates, too. Might as well start somewhere, even if it’s only a label.”

Kyuhyun finally smiles. “I’d like that.”

“Me, too.” Ryeowook matches his expression, patting the space next to himself on the bed. “Sit down for a little while. You’ve looked like you want to ask questions since the moment I saw you, and I’m happy to answer.”

It’s heaven for Kyuhyun to finally rest his legs. After remembering to take his shoes off, he joins Ryeowook on the surprisingly plush mattress. If he leans back against the headboard, he’s positive he’ll instantly fall asleep, so he resists the urge and sits up straight, facing the other man.

“Sungmin answered most of my questions,” Kyuhyun admits. “And a lot of things I’m sure I’ll pick up as I go. I guess there’s really just one thing bothering me right now.” He can hear the hurt in his own voice when he continues, and it nearly makes him cringe. “Why does Leeteuk hate me so much?”

The questions gets him a sympathetic look from Ryeowook, but also a quick denial. “No, no, he doesn’t hate you! It’s just that...there was a mission that went wrong a month and a half ago, and two of our members...they didn’t make it. It was hard on everyone, but Leeteuk blames himself. So now…” He breaks off suddenly, taking a deep breath and fanning his face.

“So now he doesn’t want me to be another casualty on his conscience,” Kyuhyun finishes for him.

Ryeowook nods. “Something like that.” He gives a pitiful attempt at a smile. “Sorry, Here I was offering to answer all of your questions, and now I’m on the brink of turning into an emotional mess.”

Even Kyuhyun can admit that he’s a heartless bastard sometimes, and he generally hates the sight of tears, not a cryer himself. But one look at Ryeowook’s watery eyes and his protective instincts kick in.

“Hey, don’t feel bad,” he says in what he hopes is a supportive tone. “Of all the questions I could have asked, of course I picked the one with the tragic backstory, right?”

Encouraged by the soft chuckle he receives, Kyuhyun continues, “And anyway, don’t apologize for crying. Not even two months since you lost two of your friends? No one should expect you to be over that, and no one can tell you how long to mourn.”

_ Seems that I do still have a soul...Siwon will be thrilled. _

Ryeowook gives him a long look. “Thank you, Kyuhyun,” he says seriously. “That’s...actually one of the nicest things someone’s said to me about it.”

“I guess I’m a big sap at heart. Which can never leave this room, by the way ━ I have an image I’d like to maintain, less-than-stellar first impressions be damned.”

“Your secret is safe with me!” The earlier sunshine starts to appear again on Ryeowook’s face. “But first, can I...do you mind if I give you a hug? I understand if it’s uncomfortable for you, but━”

“Go right ahead.”

And even though Kyuhyun had learned via Sungmin that he himself was the youngest here, as he holds Ryeowook in a warm embrace, if feels like Kyuhyun is taking care of the little brother he never had.

So later, when both of them refuse to let the other sleep on the floor and they wound up squished together under the bedsheets, it isn’t awkward like it would have been a few hours ago. Quite the opposite; it’s comforting, and Kyuhyun sleeps better than he has in months (if he isn’t careful, he might start turning into a people person).

And as luck would have it, he doesn’t even have to repress the too-precious-for-this-world urges that have been plaguing him for the past few hours. Ryeowook is a cuddler.


	3. Chapter 3

If there’s one thing Kyuhyun has learned so far about the Resistance, it’s that they don’t waste any time. He has one day of preparation, jam-packed with strength exercises (with an overenthusiastic Siwon), flexibility challenges (with an overenthusiastic Sungmin), and firearms training (with a less-than-enthusiastic Eunhyuk). Then it’s time for his first mission with the other members.

It also includes Sungmin dying Kyuhyun’s hair the shade of brown that Heechul had suggested, but that’s a relatively painful experience that he doesn’t particularly want to remember.

To be fair, it’s not  _ all _ the members who are coming along; the mission isn’t large-scale enough to require everyone’s assistance. Shadow Squad plus Heechul make up their current party, the latter so that he’ll be in range of the group’s earpieces and can coordinate a strategy with them in real-time. It’s Shadow Squad’s job, by Shindong’s request, to locate and hack into one of the satellites that broadcast government frequencies on an encrypted channel.

Right, Shadow Squad. Kyuhyun’s placement is sort of an important detail. It’s not exactly a surprise, considering Donghae had mentioned the position when Kyuhyun had joined up, but it had been nice to make the role official. And things had only gotten better after that; he’d thrown out that he was good with computers (omitting that this was mainly due to logged hours of gaming), and he’d gotten a quick “oh, thank God” from Shindong.

“You have no idea,” Heechul had agreed, looking just as relieved. “Eunhyuk only pretends to know what he’s doing, Donghae only has a talent for  _ breaking  _ technology, and Yesung...actually, I have no idea. Are you any good?”

“Umm...not really?”

“My point stands. See, Kyuhyunnie, you’re fitting in already!”

So now Kyuhyun is the Geek Squad of his team. It probably doesn’t do him any favors with the already strained relationship between Eunhyuk and himself, but hey ━ he’s here to kick ass and take names, not please everyone.

The Resistance members, sans Leeteuk, see them off that morning, and from there they walk a short distance to one of the Clusters, where a traveling merchant hides them amongst the cargo in his wagon. As they’re brought to the Capital, Donghae explains the smuggling system: generally, there’s one particular merchant who would bring them into the city for no charge, having been friends with one of the lost Resistance members. Today, they’re getting in with a sizeable bribe from Sungmin’s cash supply, since they had to enlist the help of a different merchant who could theoretically turn them in at the Capital’s entrance...or leave them stranded in the city without an escape once the mission was completed.

They get through the gates without a hitch and unload themselves in a secluded area near one of the residential areas, giving the merchant half of the payment with the promise of the rest once they’re picked up. Heechul breaks off from the group to find his lookout spot, and the rest follow behind Eunhyuk as he leads the way to their goal.

Kyuhyun has never been inside the Capital until now, only seen it from a distance. He supposes under better circumstances it would be impressive ━ it’s not as large as, say, Seoul or Busan had been, but the infrastructure is still largely intact (even if it’s still strange to see the absence of cars after gasoline reserves had been depleted). The only problem? It’s so...dead. Like they’re walking through the shell of a place that wasn’t meant to survive the end of the world.

“We’re right outside the restricted area. Watch for guards,” Eunhyuk says quietly. He presses a button on his earpiece. “Heechul, can you see us?”

A voice crackles in through Kyuhyun’s own earpiece, “ _ Yep, and you’re in luck; I don’t see any guards in your area. Just don’t let the camera at the gate see your faces _ .”

“Got it. We’re going in.”

The gate at the entrance is propped open, making it more than easy to waltz in. Kyuhyun figures the initial security is lax since the citizens would never dream of breaking and entering. That, and there isn’t much you can gain from trespassing on a minor broadcasting station’s grounds...unless you knew a genius like Shindong.

“ _ First building on your right _ ,” Heechul tells them. “ _ You’re still clear. _ ”

“Understood. Maintain radio silence until I call in again. Yesung?”

The raven-haired man steps forward, drawing a small tool out of his pocket and kneeling in front of the building’s door. Kyuhyun doesn’t even count to ten before the lock slides open with a  _ click _ .

_ Well, that would explain why he’s on Shadow Squad _ .

Eunhyuk puts a finger to his lips and motions them inside.

The ground floor is silent. Considering this building’s only purpose is to provide roof access to one of the satellites, it isn’t a big shock, but Kyuhyun still breathes more easily. Getting caught before the fun part starts would put somewhat of a damper on his first mission.

With careful footfalls, they make their way up the spiral staircase in the center of the room, coming to stop when Eunhyuk holds up a hand. He goes up the last few steps, disappearing from view. There’s the sound of a sharp  _ crack! _ , followed by a  _ thud _ , and finally Eunhyuk’s voice calls, “It’s clear.”

The second floor looks identical to the first, save for the body slumped halfway out of a seat in front of a computer.

“I only knocked him out,” Eunhyuk clarifies. “We’ve got plenty of time before he wakes up.”

Donghae points to a door on the opposite side of the room. “There’s our roof access.”

“Good. Let’s go, and Kyuhyun can...do his thing, or whatever.”

Kyuhyun wants to point out how he’d said he was good with  _ computers _ and not  _ satellites _ , but he keeps his mouth shut. Which turns out to be a good decision, because a few minutes later when he’s elbows-deep in wires with two screwdrivers clamped between his teeth, he finds that it’s a surprisingly easy task to implant Shindong’s self-made device into the satellite.

That, or he’s just a genius.

Kyuhyun relays his success to the rest of the team, Eunhyuk radios in to Heechul, and they start back down to the building’s entrance.

“I can’t believe this is actually working out,” Eunhyuk says, eyebrows furrowed. “I mean, it wasn’t supposed to be an impossibly hard thing to do, but...I don’t know.”

Kyuhyun shrugs. “We could always rob a few places on the way out, if you’d prefer to get chased.”

“Very funny.”

“Well,  _ I _ think Kyuhyun’s our good luck charm,” Donghae says. “That was really impressive with the satellite.”

Kyuhyun does his best to imitate a haughty tone. “It’s a burden I have to bear, being so much better than everyone at everything.”

“Hey, not  _ everything _ .”

“Really, now?”

“Race you back to the gate!”

Donghae takes off down the stairs, and Kyuhyun makes a split-second decision to run after him, ignoring Eunhyuk’s yell of “ _ Yah! _ Come back here!” in favor of acting like a ten-year-old.

The two have just burst out of the doors, starting toward the gate, when Heechul’s voice shouts through the headset, “Everyone freeze! Eunhyuk and Yesung, don’t go outside; Donghae and Kyuhyun, get on the other side of the building. There’s a guard coming, and he’s spotted the two of you.”

The latter pair quickly comply, slipping around the building’s corner.

“Why can’t we just run?” Kyuhyun asks Heechul, eyeing the gate that’s just a short sprint away.

“Because if that one guard confirms that you’re a threat, he’ll alert the security for the entire Capital, and then good luck getting out. Just convince him you wandered in by accident and  _ don’t _ knock him out. Another guard is sure to find the body before you’re out of the city.”

“What kind of excuse are we supposed to give?” Kyuhyun asks with a huff. “I don’t think ‘whoops, I got lost’ is going to cut it.”

Heechul snickers. “You want to make it vaguely believable and extremely uncomfortable for the guard? I know what I would do.”

_ He can’t actually mean━ _

Donghae spares Kyuhyun an uncomfortable glance before he clicks his headset. “Hyukjae...is it okay if━”

“Just do what you need to.” Eunhyuk’s tone doesn’t exactly suggest he’s anywhere close to being ‘okay’ with the suggestion, but he cuts the connection before he says anything more.

_ Very funny, subconscious. I’d like to wake up now. _

“Kyuhyun.” At least Donghae’s making an effort now not to look completely uncomfortable. “If there’s not a better option, and you’re okay with it…”

“Umm?”

Donghae takes a breath before he seems to make up his mind to just get it over with, and suddenly Kyuhyun’s back is against the concrete wall and Donghae is dangerously close to his personal space.

_ Do NOT do this to yourself, Cho Kyuhyun. It’s just a mess waiting to happen. _

He stops Donghae just in time, hands firmly pushing back on the other’s chest. “Wait,” he says. “I have a better idea, okay? Just follow my lead and be the one to do the talking.”

(Kyuhyun tries not to be too offended by the immensely relieved look on Donghae’s face.)

With hardly a moment’s hesitation, Kyuhyun drops to his knees, doing his best to slip into the role of mentally unstable civilian. If he can pull off some sort of panic attack, it might be believable enough of an excuse for them to be here. If they’re very, very lucky.

“Kyuhyun, what…?” Donghae starts, but he seems to catch on that it’s for show before he can finish the question.

Kyuhyun nearly thinks the performance is going to be for nothing before a nearby voice shouts, “Hey, you two! What do you think you’re doing?”

Kyuhyun hears the guard’s footsteps approaching, but he doesn’t dare look up. He pours even more effort into his performance, body twitching and hands clawing at his head.

Luckily, Donghae slips into his role without a hitch. “Sorry, sir, is there a problem?” he asks, eyes going wide and innocent.

“This is a restricted area! What were you thinking wandering in here?”

“Restricted? Oh, I’m so sorry,” Donghae apologizes, briefly bowing to the other man. “My younger brother...he gets these mental episodes where he loses control of himself.” (Kyuhyun spasms again to emphasize the point.) “I ran after him when he started having seizures, and we ended up here. I had no idea it was restricted.”

The guard gives them both a critical once-over, eyes lingering on Kyuhyun’s still-shaking form, before he lets out a frustrated grunt. “Look, I really don’t have the time to deal with this right now. Take your brother and I’ll escort the two of you out, so you can  _ stay out _ . If someone else catches you here, they won’t be nearly as lenient.

“Thank you, sir. I understand.”

“If you’ll follow me…”

It worked. It actually worked. Kyuhyun’s heart stops trying to pump itself out of his chest, and he does his best to look only half-crazed as Donghae pulls him toward the gate. He’s apparently a better actor than he’d thought.

“Get out of here, you two,” the guard tells them after they’re through the gate.

“You won’t see us again.”

The gates close behind them, leaving the two standing in silence. Silence, that is, until a crackle of static sounds through their headsets.

“Well,  _ damn _ , Kyuhyun,” Heechul says, sounding genuinely impressed, “who knew you could act? Five out of five stars. Eunhyuk, once the guard disappears, you guys can come out of hiding. I’ll meet up with all of you two blocks north of our drop-off point, and then we can go home.”

“Copy that,” Eunhyuk responds flatly, and Donghae also radios in an affirmative.

A few more beats of silence pass before Donghae speaks up, not quite looking Kyuhyun in the eyes when he does. “Thanks for the quick thinking back there. And thanks for...not going with Heechul’s plan. It wouldn’t have been an issue, but I still appreciate it.”

Kyuhyun gives him a tight smile. “Of course.”

The others walk through the gate soon after, and it takes Kyuhyun a minute to wonder why Eunhyuk is suddenly acting so distant before he remembers: Heechul is the only other person who had a visual on him and Donghae. The Shadow Squad leader is still under the impression that Kyuhyun’s lips were all over Donghae’s just a few minutes ago.

Thankfully, he doesn’t have to explain that this isn’t the case. He sees Donghae walking over to Eunhyuk, ignoring the cold shoulder being sent his way, and trusts that things will work out.

And as far as Kyuhyun’s own feelings for Donghae? He doesn’t even feel conflicted, much less jealous. It’s something closer to guilt: who is he to nearly step all over a committed relationship that’s been going on for years? Donghae is not, and will never be, his in that way, but Kyuhyun will more than happily take his friendship.

_ That’s great, Kyuhyun. You’re a changed man. Now focus on getting back to the Bunker instead of your miserable excuse for a love life. You are, after all, a genius. Act like it. _

_ Good to see you’re still a smartass, internal monologue. _

✯

Shadow Squad’s success doesn’t go unnoticed; they return to cheers and congratulations from all those who had seen them off that morning. Shindong even pulls Kyuhyun up for a piggyback ride around the main room, much to the amusement of everyone else present.

When he’s back on the ground again, Sungmin is the first to give him a tight hug. “I knew you could do it, Kyu!” he says with a wide smile.

“ _ You _ knew?” It’s Heechul. “Please. I met him first, and I was also the first one to predict his potential.”

“Technically, wouldn’t that have been Eunhyuk, then?”

Heechul’s eyes narrow. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Sungmin. But speaking of our wannabe superspy...Eunhyuk!”

“What is it now?”

“Before you run off to have make-up sex with your boyfriend, can you go up and tell Leeteuk how the mission went?”

If looks could kill, Heechul would be stone-cold dead. “And you can’t do it because…?”

“I have to talk to Kyuhyun. Besides, it was your mission, Mr. Shadow Squad.”

Eunhyuk hasn’t even finished stalking upstairs before Heechul grabs Kyuhyun’s arm and pulls him down the hallway toward the kitchen.

“Heechul, what the hell━?”

“ _ Ssh _ , don’t talk.”

“I’m still pissed off, you know. Throwing out that stupid idea earlier when you knew I had that stupid crush on him.”

Heechul snorts. “It inspired that brilliant performance of yours, didn’t it? And now you have closure.”

“It was still a dick move, you━”

A finger against his lips cuts off the insult, and Kyuhyun realizes they’ve made it to the kitchen. And Heechul is...he’s actually really close to Kyuhyun’s personal space. Like  _ really _ close, to the point Kyuhyun takes a step back, and christ, he’s backed against a wall again. Is this going to be a regular thing?

“So,” Heechul says, a sly look on his face. “You’re probably aware that I occasionally provide certain...well, let’s call them ‘services’ for some of the members.”

He draws a slip of paper out of his pocket and slides it into Kyuhyun’s own. “Here’s my card. It’s good one time only, but if you ever want to have drinks together and make use of any of these services…” He trails a finger down Kyuhyun’s chest, stopping just above his waistband. “...just let me know. I’m weirdly attracted to your sarcasm, even when you seem to enjoy testing how far you can push my patience. Go figure.”

Another moment and he’s gone, leaving a wide-eyed Kyuhyun in his wake. Gingerly, Kyuhyun pulls the card back out of his pocket and reads the handwritten scrawl.

_ You’re welcome. _

_ xoxo _

_ Kim Heechul _

On the back, there’s a gaudy red lipstick kiss, and a question starts to form in Kyuhyun’s mind before he stops himself.

When it comes to Heechul, it’s probably better not to ask.

✯

Kyuhyun retires to his and Ryeowook’s room early that evening, preferring to get a few extra hours of sleep instead of sweating in the training room with the others (or cleaning up the kitchen, as Ryeowook’s case is. Or...whatever Eunhyuk and Donghae are up to). He’s already changed into a loose-fitting T-shirt and sweatpants, and he’s just about to pull back the covers when a knock sounds at the door.

With a sigh, Kyuhyun goes to open it. “I said I was fine, Ryeowook. You didn’t have to…”

It’s not his roommate; it’s Leeteuk, who looks away as soon as they make eye contact. It makes Kyuhyun more than a little nervous. The last conversation he’d had with the Resistance leader had been less than pleasant, not to mention that the last time someone had wanted to talk privately with him...well, he’d had to start yelling at his brain’s overactive imagination every time he saw Heechul.

“Can I come in?” Leeteuk asks.

“Umm...sure? Here, you can sit down.”

Kyuhyun steps away from the doorway to pull the chair out from the desk, sliding it to face the bed where he himself takes a seat. Leeteuk follows him slowly, looking unsure as he sits.

“So.” Kyuhyun doesn’t know where to start. “What’s this about?”

“Two things. First, you can move into Kibum’s old room ━ you’ve more than earned it.”

Kyuhyun immediately perks up. “Really? Thank you; I’ll move my stuff in a little while, but...Kibum?”

“That brings me to the second thing,” Leeteuk says, confidence seeming to deflate. “An apology. I’ve been awful since you showed up, and you haven’t deserved it. Just one of the reasons I’ve been a sad excuse for a leader lately.” He sighs. “Someone told you about the mission two months ago, I’m guessing.”

“Ryeowook only vaguely mentioned it.”

A fond smile appears on Leeteuk’s face. “Oh, Ryeowook, always too kind for his own good. He probably tried his best to defend me, even if I don’t deserve it.” The smile fades as quickly as it had appeared. “Kibum was a Resistance member, along with Han Geng. They were part of our last direct attack on the Capital. I made a bad call...and they paid for my mistake with their lives. The others will deny it, but I’m sure they still blame me. The things Heechul screamed at me, the way he cried in his room for days…”

“Heechul? Really?”

“It’s hard to believe now, but he and Han Geng...they were so in love. I’d never seen Heechul care that much about someone before they met. And as for Kibum…” He meets Kyuhyun’s eyes with difficulty, as if it pains him. “You’re so similar to him, Kyuhyun. Everyone immediately liked both of you the moment you showed up. Kibum had only been with us for a few weeks when I sent him on that mission; it was his third. I couldn't help but think that history would repeat itself.”

Leeteuk shakes his head. “But it was childish of me to treat you the way I did, just because I thought the same thing would happen to you. I thought if I didn’t get attached, it wouldn’t hurt when you were taken from us. And for that, I’m truly sorry, Kyuhyun.”

The sincerity in the other man’s voice makes it hard to keep holding a grudge. Yes, what he’d done had hurt, and it would take time for the sting of his earlier words to fade. But it’s not unfixable; Kyuhyun forgives him.

“It’s alright. I accept your apology.”

“No, it wasn’t, but...thank you. I know we had a rough start, but if you ever need anything or have any problems, you can come to me. And Kyuhyun?” He lets his smile show again. “I didn't get to congratulate you earlier, but great job today. You made the Resistance proud.”

And as much as Kyuhyun appreciates the leader’s kind words, he’s just as thankful that Leeteuk doesn’t find it necessary to push him into another wall.

It’s the small things in life.

✯

Two doors down, the atmosphere isn’t as pleasant. Instead, it’s tense. And much too quiet. Eunhyuk doesn’t like it one bit, even if it’s mostly his fault.

He had not, as Heechul had so tactfully put it, dragged Donghae away for make-up sex. They hadn’t even spoken since they’d gotten back to the Bunker, even as they mechanically brushed their teeth and changed. It makes the silence that hangs over them now, as they lay on opposite sides of their bed, even more pronounced ━ and unsettling.

But what is Eunhyuk supposed to say? How is he supposed to express the building storm of frustration and insecurity that had reached its climax this morning? He doesn’t want to be mad at Donghae; what he really wants is to go and yell at Kyuhyun for a few solid hours. Maybe slap some sense into that insensitive, entitled little━

“Hyukjae?”

One word, and Eunhyuk already knows that staying angry is a lost cause. Some things never change.

“Are you still angry with me?” Donghae asks in a small voice.

The automatic “no” that’s about to roll off Eunhyuk’s tongue stops halfway out of his mouth. If he’s not honest about this now, he risks losing Donghae entirely, by stooping to be ━ just like that bastard Cho Kyuhyun had accused him of ━ a coward.

“Honestly, yes. And not just at you.”

“Hyukjae…”

Eunhyuk feels the mattress shift as Donghae turns toward him, but he refuses to move. If he looks into those eyes, he’ll fall apart.

“This is about Kyuhyun, right?” Donghae continues. “Nothing happened between us earlier, so I don’t know why you’re this upset.”

“You’re not an idiot, Donghae. You’ve seen the way he looks at you.”

“I have. And I think I’ve made it very clear that I’m not interested in him like that, even without saying it to his face. This way he can move on and still have his pride intact. You know you’re the only one for me.”

Eunhyuk’s hands clench into fists. “Don’t say things like that when I’m trying to be mad. It’s cheating.”

“But it’s true.I told you once, and I’ll tell you again: I don’t have any feelings for Kyuhyun.”

“Then why did you ask my permission to kiss him?”

The last traces of a smile vanish from Donghae’s face. “It was for the mission, Hyukjae, and you know that. If it was the best option, I was going to take it for the sake of the group, no matter how cruel it would be to Kyuhyun.”

“I understand that,” Eunhyuk says, voice tight.

“Then please help  _ me _ understand what has you so angry, because it’s hard to say sorry when I don’t know what to apologize for. Is it Kyuhyun? Is it me?”

A frustrated scream builds in the back of Eunhyuk’s throat, and the sudden urge to lash out threatens to overwhelm him until he drives his fist into the bedsheets, punch absorbed by the mattress.

“It’s not either of you,” he says, voice too sharp. “I’m angry at  _ myself _ . It’s hard to explain, but I just…” He feels angry tears threaten to escape, which make him feel even worse.

“Talk to me, Hyukjae,” Donghae tells him, voice softer than before.

He wants to, he really does. But it’s hard to get past the wall that tries to block the words from escaping, making him feel ashamed even before they escape his lips.

“I’m angry at myself,” Eunhyuk repeats, “for thinking that you would turn your back on me and run off with someone else, even after everything we’ve been through together. What kind of person does that make me?”

There’s a brief silence before fingers brush against his back, and Donghae asks, “why would you be afraid of me leaving?” He doesn’t sound angry, but Eunhyuk can’t imagine he’s not hurt. Eunhyuk would be, if the person he loved admitted to his face that they thought he was perfectly capable of being a cheater.

The easy way out is to pass this all off as a moment of weakness, but Eunhyuk won’t put his pride ahead of the trust the other man has in him. Donghae comes first. He always has, and always will. So instead, he says, “I guess I thought it was inevitable, you leaving for someone better. So when I saw that Kyuhyun was interested in you, I just kind of...turned away and hoped nothing would happen, even though I expected the worst?”

“But━”

“I know how stupid it sounds. I know I shouldn’t be this immature about it. But...Okay, I realize that it’s an ongoing joke to make fun of my looks. ‘Oh, Hyukjae, you’re one to talk with a face like that.’ ‘Maybe the Drones will run away if we put Hyukjae’s ugly mug up front.’ I get it. And most of the time it doesn’t bother me.”

“I can ask them to stop.”

“No, it’s fine. I just get into these moods sometimes and...it’s not like I’ve ever considered myself that attractive, you know, so I wonder: what does a guy like you see in me? And if you ever realized how much better you could do...how am I supposed to go on without you?”

The question isn’t one that’s meant to be answered, but Eunhyuk still expects  _ something _ . Donghae is so quiet that for a few moments it seems like the other man has fallen asleep, until his soft voice murmurs next to Eunhyuk’s ear.

“Look at me, Hyukjae.”

Never one to deny Donghae anything, Eunhyuk turns over, and finds his vision filled with warm brown eyes. The light from the bedside lamp is dim, but it’s more than enough to illuminate the serious expression on Donghae’s face. That seriousness alone is enough to grab Eunhyuk’s attention, so different from the laughter that usually dances across Donghae’s face.

A hand pulls on Eunhyuk’s own, bringing it to rest in the space between them, fingers intertwined.

“Do you trust me?” Donghae asks.

“More than anyone.”

“Then trust me when I say that there’s no one for me but you. And even if I have to remind you every day for the rest of my life how beautiful and incredible you are, I’ll make you see it, too.”

Eunhyuk nearly forgets how to breathe. He tightens his hold on Donghae’s hand and hopes that even without words, the younger man can feel the extent of his gratitude. Had it really been but hours ago when Eunhyuk had doubted him?

“I’m sorry I’ve been such an idiot.”

Donghae gives him a brief smile. “Not an idiot; just jealous. And I’m sorry I ever gave you a reason to doubt me. Maybe I should have had a talk with Kyuhyun before the mission.”

Eunhyuk sighs. “I should apologize to him, shouldn’t I?”

“That depends on what you want to apologize for.”

“Being a complete asshole, mostly.”

“Fair enough.” A grin blossoms on Donghae’s face. “Not going to apologize for being in love, though, are you? Last time I checked, you had a boyfriend who would feel very put out.”

Humming in agreement, Eunhyuk matches the teasing tone. “Is it ‘boyfriend’ now, Hae? I don’t think I was consulted about this.”

“It’s easier to say than ‘that guy who happens to be the love of my life and who no one else gets to have,’ don’t you think?”

Donghae laughs as Eunhyuk groans, burying his face into the pillow.

“You say the cheesiest stuff,” He mumbles, voice muffled.

“Only because I love you.”

Eunhyuk only makes an unintelligible noise, prompting Donghae to jab him in the side with his free hand.

“What?” Eunhyuk asks, detaching his face from the pillow to turn back to the source of the prodding.

“I’m going to keep bothering you until you say it back, you know.”

_ Is he seriously━? Who am I kidding, it’s Donghae. _

“I love you, too, you massive dork.”

To his surprise, Donghae shakes his head. “Sorry, Hyukjae. I’m not convinced.”

“You don’t remember my melodramatic, soul-bearing confession from years ago? What are you━? Oh.”

It’s easy for Eunhyuk to catch on to Donghae’s game, considering the exaggerated way the latter is puckering his lips. Eunhyuk supposes he has no choice but to lean forward and fulfill the request.

(A while later, after they finally separate, Donghae will concede ━a bit breathlessly━ that yes, he supposes he believes him now.)


	4. Chapter 4

To say that Kyuhyun feels dirty when he cashes in Heechul’s card the next day is a bit of an understatement.

He’d had to return it in person, quickly slipping it into the Strategist’s hands when they were alone, and of  _ course _ Heechul wasn’t about to let him get away easily. HIs wide smirk as he said, “Right on schedule, Kyuhyunnie,” will probably inspire a fair number of nightmares in the coming weeks. But that’s not to say that Heechul had disagreed; he’s bringing drinks to Kyuhyun’s room around 9, and Kyuhyun is probably way in over his head.

He’s not entirely sure what drove him to accept the offer. Maybe it’s some childish attempt at crushing the last lingering fragments of his dumb crush on a certain Shadow Squad member. Maybe it’s a way of relieving the stress that comes with being a new member of a group of anti-government vigilantes. Or maybe it’s just that Heechul is admittedly a very attractive man, and Kyuhyun would be lying if he said he wouldn’t regret letting the opportunity go.

In any case, he’s wound up here: sitting across from Heechul at a table the latter had dragged into Kyuhyun’s room, an opened bottle of red wine between them.

(Though not before Heechul had outright asked him if he was: a) a virgin, bringing Kyuhyun back to some extremely cringe-inducing college memories, and b) willing to go all the way before he was under the influence ━ Heechul was  _ not _ going to deal with any angsty post-hookup drama.)

(Kyuhyun’s face may have done its best impression of a tomato after the second question was asked. Heechul may have smirked and added, “Lucky for you, you get to top.”)

Halfway through one glass, Kyuhyun still feels more than a bit unsure about the whole situation.

“So...you do this a lot, then?” he asks, and immediately feels ridiculous.

“Why, Kyuhyunnie?” There’s that damn smirk again. “Jealous?”

“Curious.”

“Not surprising. Well, let’s see: you know about Yesung already. I’m still not entirely sure if I made out with Siwon at a party one time when we were both wasted. Sungmin is more of a long story, a bit complicated. I’m not nearly drunk enough to talk about Leeteuk, and then there was…” Heechul shakes his head. “You know, forget it. I need more to drink.”

“Should I feel cheap?”

“No, you should feel special. Clearly, I can be picky.”

✯

After two glasses, Kyuhyun feels his inhibitions begin to slip away. He can’t even remember how the line of conversation had started, but he suddenly finds himself musing, “Do you think Donghae’s into threesomes?”

Heechul lets out a guffaw, his cheeks tinged with a pinkish blush from the alcohol. “I don’t know about Donghae, but Hyukjae is definitely not. Trust me, I’ve asked.”

It’s kind of nice how when he’s buzzed, Kyuhyun finds Heechul’s coarse humor more comforting than embarrassing. He could get used to this sort of thing.

✯

After the third glass, Kyuhyun feels bold.

So when Heechul quips, “Intoxication suits you, Kyuhyunnie. I didn’t think you had it in you,” instead of teasing him back, Kyuhyun leans forward and says with a smirk, “I’m full of surprises. Maybe you should let me show you.”

The other’s eyes fly open in surprise before they darken, and the look he gives Kyuhyun is one that could probably make every woman and man alive throw themselves at his feet.

When Heechul slowly gets up, coming around to the other side of the table, Kyuhyun has never felt more like prey. His breath catches in his throat as Heechul bends down to his level.

Hands run up Kyuhyun’s thighs, making him shiver.

“You want to surprise me, Kyuhyun?” Heechul asks, his voice low. “Want to prove that you can handle me? Leave me moaning your name?”

He leans in even closer, until their lips are separated by no more than a hair’s breadth.

“I dare you.”

And Kyuhyun’s fate is sealed with a kiss.

✯

Sudden knocking on Kyuhyun’s door rouses him from his half-asleep state, drawing a disapproving groan from his lips. Did the knocks have to be so damn  _ loud _ ?

Not five seconds later, Eunhyuk lets himself in, halting when he lays eyes on the other man.

“Oh, you’re not dead,” he notes, the unspoken continuation probably something along the lines of “but you look like you could be.”

Kyuhyun can only imagine how terrible he looks, limbs sprawled haphazardly across his bed, hair looking like he’d plugged it into an electric socket, and all traces of energy sucked from his body.

“You didn’t come to breakfast,” Eunhyuk continues,” so Ryeowook finally sent me to check on you. He seems pretty insulted that you didn’t want to eat his cooking, actually.”

“I’m in the receding stage of a really bad hangover.

“It’s 12:30 in the afternoon.”

“Don’t judge me.”

Eunhyuk rolls his eyes, but instead of leaving like Kyuhyun expects, he sits down next to the younger.

“You didn’t actually come here to check up on me, did you?” Kyuhyun asks, moving his arms and legs so that he looks less like a mutated starfish. “I can smell ulterior motives from here.”

“I thought you were hungover.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m not still smarter than all of you.”

“Kyuhyun, I’m  _ trying _ to be civil with you, okay? I just wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Donghae,” Kyuhyun guesses without missing a beat. Yesterday, his headache would have increased tenfold at the thought. But today? He feels fine, excluding the pounding in his skull and the full-body exhaustion. (The latter isn’t due to the alcohol, Kyuhyun concedes with a hint of embarrassment. He’s pretty convinced that Heechul is some sort of otherworldly sex-demon, which on one hand was awesome, but on the other hand...well, he feels like he does now. Like he’s been hit by a bus.)

“Right...Donghae.”

Kyuhyun waves Eunhyuk’s concern away, his hand flopping ungracefully back down after the gesture. “Don’t worry; I’m not going to come between you two. And I’m sorry I didn’t exactly give the impression that I respected not being in the picture myself.” The other man seems about to say something, but Kyuhyun cuts him off. “You really love him, huh?”

Finally, he’s gotten the Shadow Squad leader to blush.

“A lot, yeah.”

“Good.” A pause. “But I’m still trying to figure out what he sees in you.”

Eunhyuk’s head snaps toward Kyuhyun, but when he sees the teasing grin on the latter’s face, he relaxes, chiding, “Shut it, you brat!”

Kyuhyun just laughs, only stopping because it takes too much energy. He extends a lazy finger until it prods Eunhyuk in the ribs, saying, “You know, we got off on the wrong foot, but there’s no reason we can’t still be friends.”

“Are you sure you’re not still drunk?”

“Make fun of me all you want; I mean it. There’s no point in us constantly being at each other’s throats.”

“So...what? You want to shake on being friends?” Eunhyuk asks sarcastically.

“No, what do you think we are? Twelve?”

“On a good day, you could probably pass for thirteen.”

Kyuhyun snorts. “Well, your insults have degenerated to the point that I’m just going to assume we  _ are _ friends. Any objections?”

“Only a few hundred.”

“I’ll take it.”

“But don’t think━” Eunhyuk cuts off suddenly, looking over Kyuhyun’s shoulder with a strange expression on his face. “Kyuhyun? Are those...do you have handcuffs sitting on your dresser?”

Kyuhyun has a brief moment of silence for his now-deceased pride before he answers flatly, “It appears I do,” and sees Eunhyuk bite his lip in an attempt to keep his amusement contained.

“You know, I could’ve sworn Heechul had a pair just like that. What a coincidence.”

“Oh my god,” Kyuhyun groans, humiliated. “Kill me now.”

Eunhyuk has quite the opposite reaction; he nearly falls off the bed laughing. When he manages to compose himself again, his first comment doesn’t make things any better.

“I guess that explains why Heechul’s been walking funny the whole morning.”

“Oh my  _ god _ .”

“Hey, come on, don’t be ashamed. You weren’t the first, and you probably won’t be the last. I just can’t get over how you were trying so hard to be discreet, and then there was  _ Heechul _ .”

“I’m glad you can take pleasure in my misery.”

Eunhyuk can’t respond because he’s back to laughing again, but he does give the younger a sympathetic pat on the shoulder that says everything it needs to.

And now Kyuhyun has a wonderful story to tell his future grandchildren about how the two of them had finally bonded.

✯

“You’re taking me  _ shopping _ ?”

Ryeowook had crossed his arms at Kyuhyun’s question. “We’re going to one of the Clusters to restock our essentials: food, water, and ammunition. And you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

Now, a long hike later underneath the sun’s unrelenting rays, Kyuhyun regrets giving in to the other’s pout. Apparently, Resistance membership comes with perks like ridiculously high stamina, because Ryeowook is hardly breaking a sweat. Kyuhyun can’t exactly say the same.

(Which is a nice way of stating that he’s a panting, undignified mess.)

“We’re here,” Ryeowook says cheerfully, gesturing to the mostly-intact building in front of them. “Lots of merchants come to this Cluster to trade, so it’s fairly well-known among Outsiders, but this is the only place the Resistance deals with.”

The Cluster  _ is  _ busy, Kyuhyun notes. It was almost like a real town. Slipping off his facemask, he follows Ryeowook through the front door…

...and is immediately greeted with a hurricane of effervescence and long legs disguised as a man.

“Ryeowook!” the man exclaims, wrapping the medic in a hug. “You’re back! And who’s this? Someone new?” There’s a slight accent to his Korean ━ Chinese, Kyuhyun quickly concludes, which comes as a surprise: he’s the first foreigner Kyuhyun has come across since the bombs dropped.

Ryeowook nods at the man’s question. “This is Kyuhyun; he just joined a week ago. Kyuhyun, meet Zhou Mi.

Zhou Mi’s smile grows impossibly brighter. “Nice to meet you, Kyuhyun. It’s always great seeing a new face.” It’s actually pretty endearing how he almost-but-not-quite pronounces the name correctly.

“New face?” a voice asks from behind Zhou Mi, and a younger man pops his head out from a back room. “Mi, please tell me you’re not introducing yourself without me. Again.”

“I was just about to tell━”

Zhou Mi doesn’t get to finish; the newcomer is already standing in front of him. “Henry Lau, at your service,” he says, giving a mock bow. “I’m your friendly resident Canadian small-business owner, with a side-job of smuggling guns to the Resistance.”

Henry points at the man standing behind him. “Zhou Mi here is my business partner, so he gets to take our stuff to the Capital to trade...and a lot of the time, smuggle you all in, too. Between the two of us, we’re a force to be reckoned with.”

Kyuhyun nearly laughs, because with his pronounced cheekbones and youthful face, Henry looks more like one of those mochi plushies than the intimidating image he’s clearly going for. But rather than stomping on the other man’s dignity, Kyuhyun is a thoughtful human being and sticks with reintroducing himself. (He’d like at least one good first impression, after all.)

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Henry says suddenly, clapping his hands together. “Ryeowook, I need to go over some things with you in the back about the next few shipments.”

Ryeowook’s face brightens considerably. “Of course. Mi, you’ll keep Kyuhyun entertained?”

“I’ll do my best!”

The two disappear into the back room, and Kyuhyun is left alone with...wait, is Zhou Mi  _ giggling _ ? Yeah, he definitely is.

“Aren’t they just adorable?” he practically coos.

“What?”

Zhou Mi looks at him like he’s joking. “Henry and Ryeowook. You saw the glances, the shy smiles, the  _ tension _ , didn’t you?”

“I...hadn’t really noticed?”

“Only because it’s your first time seeing them together.” Zhou Mi leans forward, continuing in a conspiratorial whisper, like they’re talking about missile launch codes instead of gossiping about their friends. “Trust me, they’re so obvious that I’m embarrassed for them. Especially when they’re both waiting for each other to make the first move but refuse to do so themselves.”

Kyuhyun can’t help but be drawn in by the other’s seriousness. “And you haven’t said anything to them?”

“Not a peep.” Zhou Mi solemnly shakes his head, putting a hand over his heart. “It’s my responsibility to keep quiet and allow love to blossom on its own.” The smile returns to his face. “But enough about those two. I’m supposed to entertain you, Kyuhyun! I’ll take you on a quick tour of the Cluster, if you’re up for it.”

“Aren’t they just talking for a few minutes about shipments?”

“That’s what they always say, but it’s just pretense for them not-so-subtly flirting for an hour. We’ll have plenty of time.”

Kyuhyun agrees with a shrug. What has he got to lose?

✯

“...And then we ended up talking for nearly two hours while we walked around the Cluster. It was actually really nice; he was so interested in everything I had to say, even laughed at my dumb jokes, and…”

Sungmin watches Kyuhyun ramble with a smile, paying more attention to the way the other man’s eyes are practically sparkling with infatuation more than the actual words. This is a side of his friend that Sungmin has never seen before, and he has to say ━ it’s absolutely precious.

“...so he made me promise to come see him again sometime soon. It doesn’t have to be for Resistance business or anything; just for us to talk. It’s nice to find someone who’s easy to have a conversation with, you know?”

Kyuhyun suddenly stops, frowning to himself and going back over the words.

_ I don’t even have to say anything. He’ll figure it out soon enough. _

“Wait...It’s not just in my head that I sound like I have the biggest crush on him, is it?"

“You could say that,” Sungmin agrees, a knowing grin still gracing his lips.

Kyuhyun sinks back into the chair, covering his face with a groan. “Damn it, I  _ do _ , and I’ve only met him once. What kind of rom-com cliché am I living?” He looks much more down about it than Sungmin expects.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. What’s wrong with liking him?”

Kyuhyun’s hands come away from his face, instead twisting together in his lap. “I don’t know,” he says. “Nothing, I guess? I just feel like I’ve spent much less time in the Resistance actually contributing than I have chasing romantic dead-ends. First there was Donghae, then there was━” He cuts off suddenly, eyes going wide for the briefest of moments. “You know what? Forget I said anything.”

“It’s alright. I don’t need to hear you admit it when I already heard it directly from Heechul.” When Kyuhyun’s face loses some of its color, he adds, “Not that he told anyone else. You have to understand: I make sure he tells me most everything, because that’s the only way I can look out for him. Make sure he’s not being too hard on himself or going to do something incredibly stupid.”

“So now I just have to live with you knowing my guilty secret.”

“One that we both have in common,” Sungmin says before he can stop himself, though Kyuhyun’s expression makes the slip-up almost worth it. “But back to what you said earlier, stop thinking you don’t deserve to be happy. Do that enough, and you’ll end up like Leeteuk.” Probably something else he should have kept to himself. “You’re here, you’re doing your best, and you’re allowed to try and fail as many times as you want to find a relationship that works. Though, if you were actually trying with Heechul…?”

Kyuhyun shakes his head immediately. “I’m not that naïve. I know exactly what it was: one time, and one time only. I’ve talked to him since; no residual awkwardness or hard feelings.”

“Good. And Zhou Mi?”

“I’ll...go for it, I guess. It can’t hurt, right? Assuming he’s even interested.”

Sungmin wants to roll his eyes _so_ badly, but he’s trying to be a supportive friend. “Kyuhyun. Let’s be clear: he invited you on a date, you said yes, and now it’s the beginning of what could be a beautiful love story.”

“You don’t need to sound so sarcastic when you say it, you know,” Kyuhyun says dryly, before he switches topics entirely. “There was something else I was going to talk to you about ━ an interesting bit of information I found out the day I visited the cluster.”

Kyuhyun glances at the door to Sungmin’s room, seeming to check if they’re alone. “Do you know about Ryeowook and Henry?” he asks.

Not where Sungmin expected the conversation to go. Henry the merchant? “I mean, everyone knows Ryeowook goes to trade with him every so often, but that’s not news. Why?”

A genuine smile blossoms on Kyuhyun’s face, and all Sungmin can think is  _ Wow _ ,  _ Zhou Mi must be rubbing off on him. Maybe this will work out after all. _

_ _

“I didn’t notice until Mi pointed it out, but Ryeowook practically has hearts in his eyes whenever he talks to Henry. They’re both head over heels, but also both oblivious idiots.”

_ Yeah, okay, Mister I-just-talked-for-like-half-an-hour-about-Zhou-Mi’s-smile.  _ This is news, though, and while part of it isn’t a surprise (he loves Ryeowook, but sometimes he wishes the younger would just assert himself, already), the thought of possibly playing matchmaker is admittedly an exciting one.

“So when do we start getting them together?” Sungmin asks, already plotting.

“Getting them…? Wait, Min, I don’t think this is something we’re supposed to intervene in. Letting love run its course and all that.”

Sungmin is less than impressed. “Zhou Mi told you that, didn’t he.” It’s not a question.

“Umm.”

“Fine, I get it. I won’t interfere…for now. But if you’re going to be spending all of your time with your boyfriend, I’ll need  _ something _ to do.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Yet.” Sungmin hopes the ‘masterminding-a-plot’ glint in his eyes isn’t too frightening. “As your friend, Kyuhyun, I’m not going to sit back and watch you mess this up. One way or another, you’re going to get the guy.”

The flush taking over Kyuhyun’s face is adorable, but a part of Sungmin still wants to roll his eyes and say, “Kyuhyun, honey, you had sex with Heechul. Nothing should be able to embarrass you now.” Ah, to be stupid and in love. If they ever got out of this mess, Sungmin was going to have to start looking for━

_ Focus, Sungmin. You’re helping Kyuhyun, and your matchmaker aspirations are finally becoming a reality. _

_ _

He doesn’t give Kyuhyun time to protest. “First of all, we’re going to use my money and go buy you something handsome to wear. Then we’ll scope out where you’re taking him to dinner.”

“I’m taking him? He was the one to ask me out.”

Sungmin actually scoffs. “You’re perfectly capable of being a gentleman. And you also have a rich best friend, so it only makes sense.”

“You know, I think I’ll just stop asking questions and refer to your judgement.”

“Wise choice.”

“Oh, and Sungmin?”

“Hmm?”

Kyuhyun is grinning again. “I don’t tell you this enough, but you’re an awesome best friend.”

“Aww, thank you.”

_ I know. _


	5. Chapter 5

Kyuhyun isn’t woken up in the most pleasant way that morning, to say the least. He’s yanked out of semi-consciousness by aggressive shaking and an urgent, “Come on, get up!”

Groggily, he opens his eyes, and can just make out Eunhyuk’s form (why does it always seem to be him?)...and the glowing digits of the clock.

“What the hell? It’s four o’clock in the━”

“There was a raid. Get changed and talk to Donghae; I have to get Yesung,” the other man says in a rush, and he’s out the door before Kyuhyun can get another word in.

_ This had better be important. _

Kyuhyun swings his legs off the side of the bed and heaves his body into a standing position, stifling a yawn with one hand. If he’s lucky, in a few minutes he’ll be so overly-tired that it will mask the exhaustion. For now, though, it’s a small miracle that when he gets dressed and pulls on his shoes, he only almost-falls a grand total of three times. Not bad for someone running on so few hours of sleep. That being said, he won’t be sad if this is the last 4 a.m. wake-up call he has the pleasure of experiencing.

Donghae is the first person he sees in the main room, but certainly not the only one. The majority of the Resistance members are rushing around, making sure they’re armed and properly equipped ━ though equipped for  _ what _ , Kyuhyun doesn’t know, which brings him back to why he’s here in the first place…

“What’s going on?” Kyuhyun asks the brunet standing in front of him. “Eunhyuk said there was a raid, but he told me to talk to you.”

Donghae looks up from the rifle he’s loading, and the look in his eyes immediately makes Kyuhyun think:  _ Bad news. Really bad news. _ “It’s not just another raid,” the elder of the two corrects. “It was on Henry and Zhou Mi’s cluster.”

A feeling of foreboding shoots up Kyuhyun’s spine. “Did they get out?”

“Henry’s in hiding, but he sent a message that he’s safe for now. We’re going to pick him up as soon as we secure the Cluster.”

“What about Zhou Mi?”

The expression on Kyuhyun’s face must be a dead giveaway, because Donghae’s eyes soften. (Honestly, he’s much more perceptive than the others seem to give him credit for.) “He just moved to a different Cluster. Don’t worry, Kyu, he’s okay.”

Kyuhyun lets out a breath, relief making him feel a little weak in the knees.

“Is everyone ready?” Leeteuk strides into the room, eyes flickering over each member as he takes a head count. “We’re just missing━”

“We’re here, we’re here,” Eunhyuk interrupts, coming from the hallway with Yesung in tow.

“Good. Eunhyuk, Kangin, take your teams to the Cluster as fast as you can. If there’s only a few Drones who stayed, take them out and secure the area. If there’s too many...just make sure to get Henry out. Beyond that, use your own judgement.”

“Understood,” Kangin acknowledges with a nod.

Eunhyuk, however, frowns. “You’re not coming along for something this important?”

“Shadow and Boom Squad can handle it. And besides, Heechul and I need to have a talk with Shindong about intel breaches. Those two shouldn’t have been targets.” Leeteuk turns as if to leave, but he stops mid-step and looks at all of them seriously.

“Whatever you decide to do, come back safely.”

✯

It’s strange, Kyuhyun thinks, how without the shop and usual bravado, Henry seems smaller. Not physically, per say ━though he does look a bit shorter than Kyuhyun remembers━ but in the less confident way he holds himself, the way his personality no longer fills up a room. He looks as lost as Kyuhyun had a week ago, for much of the same reason: his life as he knows it is over.

“What am I supposed to do?” Henry asks after thanking the Resistance members for coming to get him. The two squads had started the search for his hiding place rather quickly after finding no traces of Drones in the Cluster. All that remains is the death and destruction that follows in their wake.

“They ransacked everything,” Henry continues, almost on the brink of tears. “Mi could just find work for another merchant in a different Cluster, but me? The defunct shopkeeper? I’ve got nothing to my name now except a failed business venture and no way to get you supplies!”

Eunhyuk rests a reassuring hand on the younger’s shoulder, saying, “Don’t ever think you’re worthless, Henry; you’re the only reason we’re still here. There’s always a place for you in the Resistance, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that we’d be honored to have you officially join.”

From even what little Kyuhyun knows, the offer is more than deserved.

Everyone’s initial concern after Henry returns with them to the Bunker seems to collectively be whether or not he would suffer an emotional breakdown from the sudden change. This, surprisingly enough, doesn’t turn out to be the case (though Kyuhyun suspects Ryeowook’s constant optimistic presence is more than a little influential). Instead, the only issue is brought to Kyuhyun’s attention a mere two days later by none other than Heechul.

“Kyuhyun, you have to help me stop this,” the Strategist tells him with an expression that just screams ‘I am 200 percent done with this shit’.

“Stop...what, exactly?”

“The madness. Eunhae apparently semi-adopted Henry and developed this domestic parenting-complex, and Sungmin won’t stop complaining to me about how Ryeowook won’t stop complaining to  _ him _ about little Henry enjoying getting babied by someone who isn’t him. Spoiler alert: it’s the jealousy talking.”

There should probably be another clause added to the fine print of the metaphorical membership contract.  _ Warning: members may have to occasionally resolve relationship crises including but not limited to refusal to own up to one’s feelings, baseless jealousy, and...mothering instincts. _

“And you think I can help?”

“Sungmin refused to get involved himself because of some...non-intervention agreement you two have going on? I have no idea why the hell you thought that was a good idea in the first place, but please just tell Sungmin that he’s allowed to fix this mess before I start getting wrinkles.”

“It might be too late for that; if I look right there on your face…”

“My dearest Kyuhyunnie, I think I need to make one thing perfectly clear. Just because I slept with you does not mean I’ll hesitate for a second to kill you. Painfully.”

✯

“Did you see the look on her face when Henry started to haggle?”

“Priceless. This kid is seriously a genius.” Heechul claps the newly-official Resistance member on the back, who practically beams from all the praise being thrown his way.

Context, Kyuhyun supposes, is probably important here.

Boom and Shadow Squad, plus Henry, had gone to back up Heechul while he’d negotiated a trade agreement with a willing merchant. No one could replace Henry, but it’s still vital that the Resistance maintains a consistent supplier of weapons and ammunition. The two squads were there in case the meeting was a setup, but the merchant had been true to her word ━ and the real star of the show had turned out to be Henry. He’d been brought along because of his experience in the circle of Cluster-based merchants, and he hadn’t disappointed; with his help, Heechul had secured an agreement that was almost as good as their previous setup had been.

Eager to tell the others, the group had made it back to the Bunker in near-record time, and the congratulatory chatter persists while Eunhyuk kneels down to press his thumb against the keypad.

Kyuhyun sees the smile fall from his team leader’s face.

“Whose turn was it to seal the entrance?” Eunhyuk asks, cutting off the others’ conversation. “Because whoever you were, you forgot.”

A heavy silence falls over the group, but before anyone can confess, Heechul interrupts. “The last thing we need is to start pointing fingers at each other. Let’s just agree to never let this happen again. Got it?”

The rest seem to accept the Strategist’s judgement, if some a bit more uneasily than others, and Kyuhyun follows closely behind them as they descend into the heart of the Bunker. Eunhyuk goes last, making a very deliberate show of re-arming the system; Kyuhyun is just glad that he himself wasn’t the one to have forgotten, because he had a feeling the other man would have his head on a platter, their newly-forged friendship aside.

The moment Kyuhyun steps into the main room, he knows something isn’t right. And judging by the way Sungmin stops in his tracks, he isn’t the only one.

“Wait,” Sungmin murmurs quietly, fingers skimming over the firearm holstered at his waist. “I don’t like this. The rest of you feel it too, don’t you?”

Heechul nods. “It’s too quiet. And the air is…”

“It smells like gunpowder,” Kangin finishes for him.

“Well, shit.”

“We should spread out,” Siwon speaks up, keeping his voice down. “Find out who, if anyone, got it.”

“Works for me.” Heechul gives a short jerk of his head toward Eunhyuk. “Take Kyuhyun and check the basement. Make sure Shindong’s okay.”

“Fine, but━”

“Donghae can stay here with Henry. I’m sure you can manage to be separated for a few minutes.”

Eunhyuk rolls his eyes. “Not what I was going to ask, but forget it.” It would be more convincing, Kyuhyun thinks, if his ears hadn’t flamed red out of embarrassment at getting caught.

“Siwon, Kangin, Yesung,” Heechul continues, “you’re in charge of this floor. Sungmin and I will go upstairs. Everyone be back here in ten minutes, or I’m assuming you’re in trouble. Now, get a move on.”

The group wastes no time in splitting up. With hardly a sound, they scatter, leaving Donghae and Henry to watch the entrance. Kyuhyun draws his sidearm, clicks the safety off, and follows Eunhyuk’s lead down the basement stairs. It’s almost unfair; the Shadow Squad leader was so silent, he could be a ghost, but Kyuhyun has to gingerly place his every footfall to avoid giving away their presence.

Eunhyuk suddenly grips Kyuhyun’s arm, breaking the latter’s concentration, and gestures between the two of them. It takes a moment for the message to get across, but then Kyuhyun understands. He presses his back against the other man’s as they go into the room, giving them near-360 degree visibility. If there really is someone here, they shouldn’t be able to sneak up on the two.

Without warning, a shape rushes out of the darkness, letting out an angry shout. Kyuhyun is just about to fire when Eunhyuk’s yell of “Donghee, it’s us!” makes all three of them freeze.

A lot of different things happen in the next few moments. Footsteps pound on the floor above as the rest of the members run to see the source of the commotion. The adrenaline stops pumping through Kyuhyun’s veins enough for him to recognize Shindong’s face. Eunhyuk puts away his gun and gives the other man a worried look, asking, “What’s going on?”

The others appear on the stairs, their tense expressions relaxing when they see Shindong and no imminent danger.

“Finally,” Heechul says, relieved. “I was really starting to worry, you know. Now we’re just missing Teuk and Ryeowook.”

“They’re gone.”

Eunhyuk looks at Shindong like he’s grown two heads. “Gone? What’s that supposed to mean?”

The other man looks the most miserable Kyuhyun has ever seen him. “The Capital police must have been zeroing in on us for a few days now. When they were finally able to get into the Bunker, they took Leeteuk and Ryeowook, but...all I could think to do was hide. There were too many of them, and all of you needed to know what happened.”

“You did the right thing, Donghee,” Heechul says, giving him a meaningful look.

Henry isn’t nearly as calm as his seniors. “Oh my god,” he says to no one in particular. “That could have been me. That  _ should _ have been me. I could be protecting him ━I mean,  _ them _ ━ right now.”

Donghae is at his side in an instant, drawing the younger man close. “There’s nothing to feel guilty about, Henry; it wasn’t your fault.”

But the rest of the Resistance members aren’t focused on that exchange. They look at Shindong in silence, varying degrees of mounting panic on their faces, until Heechul asks the question that weighs on all of their minds.

“Where did they take them?”

“That’s the thing…” Shindong shakes his head, looking absolutely defeated. “I don’t know.”


	6. Chapter 6

_ 4 hours after capture. _

Leaning against the gray concrete of his prison cell, Leeteuk fights back another shiver. He still has no idea where he is or what’s going to happen to him, but at least Ryeowook is safe ━ he’s thankfully in the same cell, head pillowed on Leeteuk’s lap while he sleeps ━ and as for the others...there’s no one better than Heechul to lead them in his absence. Hopefully they’ll be alright.

After the police had invaded the Bunker (though  _ how _ they’d managed to do that was another question Leeteuk didn't know the answer to), he’d spent many of the past few hours unconscious; the chloroform-laced sheet that had been shoved against his face left him with no memory of the trip to wherever he is now. When he’d woken up, he was in this very same cell. Ryeowook had been gradually regaining consciousness next to him, and two guards were just a few feet away, griping about how “the rest of the Resistance scum” had gotten away ━ until they saw the prisoners were awake.

He hasn't seen Shindong. Hopefully the other man managed to get away and tell the others what happened...otherwise Leeteuk may end up imprisoned for a while yet. Either way, his goal is the same:

Keep the other members safe.

✯

_ 9 hours after capture. _

The door to the cell is slammed open with a  _ clang! _ , and Leeteuk feels a hand clamp down like a vice around his arm before he’s yanked to a standing position and forcefully dragged out.

“ _ Hyung! _ ” Ryeowook yells behind him, but there’s no time to respond. Leeteuk stumbles and nearly falls in his haste to keep up with the prison guard’s pace, prompting an annoyed scowl from the latter, until he’s unceremoniously shoved into another room and the door is shut behind him.

Leeteuk’s heart pounds in his ears while he processes the events.

_ What...was that? And where am I now? _

The room is entirely white and contains only a single desk with a chair on each side. A file folder of some sort is resting on the desk, but he can’t make out what━

Like something out of a bad action movie, the chair furthest away from him spins around to reveal a woman dressed in a crisp suit jacket. Her eyes look like they can see straight into his soul, and it’s times like these Leeteuk wishes he was more like Heechul so that he could make some scathing remark about how tacky her entrance was instead of silently following her command of “Sit down.”

When he takes a seat in the other chair, the woman wastes no time in getting down to business.

“So, here you are at last,” she says, still with that sharp gaze. “The leader of the so-called ‘Resistance,’ Leeteuk. Or, to be more accurate, Park Jungsoo.” She looks down for a moment to leaf through the folder, which Leeteuk can now see is his file, but not before catching the alarm that flashes in his expression. None of the members have ever been identified by name before; they’ve been meticulous about keeping up anonymity for nearly two full years. For that to change now doesn’t bode well for the future.

(If they still have one. If the others aren’t being rounded up right this second.)

“27 years old, an only child...it seems your parents had to be dealt with after they refused to cooperate with the law.”

Leeteuk clenches his fists but doesn’t rise to the bait.

“After October 2016, you were never seen or heard from again, but now I know why. You were out causing trouble with your delinquent friends.” She closes the file again, looking him straight in the eyes. “This doesn’t have to be difficult for you, Jungsoo. All I need from you is names, along with where they’re hiding. Give me that, and you can live like a king. We can give you a residency in the Capital’s wealthiest quarter and a monthly stipend; you’d be able to do more than just survive.”

_ And I’d also be locked away, so I could never spread the truth about how terrible you people are. Assuming you’d even follow through on your word _ .

“Nothing you offer me will convince me to give them up.”

The woman’s eyes narrow. “Very well. The difficult way it is, then.” She rises to her feet. “Goodbye for now, Jungsoo. We’ll be seeing each other again soon.”

✯

_ 24 hours after capture. _

Leeteuk’s feet feel like lead as he trudges back yet again from a meeting with the government woman ━ the Inquisitor, as the guards refer to her. After bribing him had failed, she’s resorted to threats, and though he’s fairly sure she won’t be able to follow through with most of them (she is, after all, trying to use him to find the very people she’s threatening to harm)...it’s still frightening. Paired with the severe lack of food and sleep the guards make sure to enforce, Leeteuk is somewhat of a mess.

The scene when he returns to his cell takes him by surprise. Instead of sitting in the corner keeping watch, the two guards in the room are just outside of the cell. One of them is pinning Ryeowook against the steel bars with a forearm pressed across his windpipe, and Leeteuk sees red. The moment he hears one of the guards start to say “This one would snap like a twig. The Inquisitor might not even care if━”, he practically launches himself onto the man in question.

From there, everything is a blur. Leeteuk is a whirlwind of punches, and he feels many of them hit their target...but then there’s only pain. Pain as the guards’ initial shock wears off and they redirect their aggression, pain as he falls under their barrage of violence, and pain as he’s thrown back into the cell, left there on the ground like a broken doll.

At the edge of his consciousness, he can sense Ryeowook kneeling over him, calling his name. The Resistance leader tries to say something,  _ anything _ , but the only sound that leaves his lips is a pained groan.

Maybe he would have managed more, but suddenly there are cool hands on his face, pain explodes where they touch, and he’s mercifully embraced by darkness.

✯

“I’m so sorry.”

“ _ Ssh _ , I already told you that you don’t need to apologize.”

“But it was my fault. I wasn’t there to protect you, and if I hadn’t come back in time…”

“But you  _ did _ , and I’m okay. You really need to stop this habit of blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong. It’s eating you up inside.”

“As leader, I have a responsibility to━  _ agh _ !”

“Don’t move too much. I bandaged your face with part of your shirt, but everything else is just going to take time to heal.”

“And that’s...that’s why I can’t see out of my right eye?”

“That, and it’s swollen shut. I’d treat it if I had any supplies, but this is the best I could do.”

“I’m the one who’s supposed to be taking care of  _ you _ .”

“It’s okay.”

A pause.

“I won’t let them touch you again, Ryeowook. That’s a promise.”

“I know you won’t...thank you.”

✯

_ 31 hours after capture _

Ryeowook is awakened by a commotion at the cell’s entrance. He has just enough time for his eyes to flicker open and to sit up from his spot next to Leeteuk, and then the guards burst in.

They don’t seem to have forgiven the other man for the earlier skirmish; when they pull him to his feet, they’re more careless than usual with his abused body. Ryeowook, to his own surprise, is forced up as well. As they’re both escorted down the hallway that Leeteuk had disappeared through on four separate occasions, he feels his confusion grow. Since their arrival at the prison, Ryeowook has been generally disregarded in favor of the Resistance leader. What do they want with him all of a sudden?

The two hostage members are brought into another room, and Ryeowook sees the Inquisitor standing there exactly as Leeteuk has described her, sending both of them withering looks.

“Gentlemen,” she says coldly, “so glad you could make it. Guards?”

Ryeowook feels the sharp press of metal against the back of his head, and he goes deathly still.

“Let him go,” Leeteuk pleads, his pupils blown wide in fear. “I’ll give you names, okay? All of them. Just don’t hurt him.”

The Inquisitor lets out an exaggerated sigh. “I’m afraid that won’t be enough anymore, Jungsoo.” She nods to the guard holding Ryeowook at gunpoint. “Bring him this way. We don’t want our other troublemaker getting any silly ideas about freeing him.”

Ryeowook doesn’t struggle as the distance between him and his leader grows distressingly wider. The thought of a bullet going through his skull at any moment wipes anything else from his mind, thoughts of escape included.

“What I need from you,” the Inquisitor continues, “is a vow of servitude. You swear your loyalty to Mayor Park, you help us track down the rest of the Resistance, and the boy walks free. If not…” The gun presses harder against Ryeowook’s skull. “You have ten seconds until his head is blown off. Ten.”

The horrified look on Leeteuk’s face breaks Ryeowook’s heart. “Hyung…” he says, sharing a long look with the other. “Please don’t work with them. After everything we’ve been through━”

A hand slaps across his face, shutting him up.

“Seven. Six.”

_ I’m really going to die. And I don’t even get to tell the others goodbye...I should have thanked Yesung more for rescuing me. And told Sungmin that I knew it was him who cleaned up that disaster in the kitchen a few months ago so that Heechul didn’t get angry. And told Henry… _

“Four.”

_ Mother, father, I don’t know if you’re still alive, but if you’re not...I hope I can see you again. _

“Three.”

“Wait!” Leeteuk yells, and Ryeowook feels like throwing up. “I’ll do it. I’ll━”

“Drop the gun, and no one gets hurt,” a familiar voice rings out.

If Ryeowook hadn’t already been crying, he would have started now out of sheer relief. Because there, striding into the room like an avenging angel, and flanked by eight other Resistance members with guns trained on the government lackeys...is Kim Heechul.

“How in the world━?”

“I won’t ask again.”

It’s the most terrifying the Strategist has ever sounded. In seconds, the cool metal touch recedes from Ryeowook’s head, and with a barely-noticeable motion of Heechul’s hand, Siwon and Sungmin fire with perfect accuracy at the two guards ━ sleep darts, Ryeowook notes. It seems that, at least for now, the Resistance hasn’t resorted to breaking its Drones-only policy for regular bullets.

With the guards slumped unconscious on the floor, the Inquisitor is the only threat remaining. The smile on Heechul’s face would probably give even demons nightmares.

“I need you to deliver a message for me to those snakes you work for,” he says, voice practically dripping with venom. “Tell them the Resistance is coming for their heads. And if they ever pull something like this again, I’ll personally drag them to Hell.”

Another snap of Heechul’s fingers, and the Inquisitor joins the guards. For a moment, no one speaks, as if doing so would cause everything to descend back into chaos.

“Heechul━” Leeteuk finally starts to say, but he’s cut off by the other man’s sudden embrace.

“Don’t fucking scare me like that again, Jungsoo,” Heechul says, voice tight. “Got it?”

“I won’t; I promise.”

His words bring back Ryeowook back to their conversation earlier, and the ground suddenly seems to sway underneath his feet as he realizes just how close he had come to death. Thankfully, strong arms wrap around him before he can fall, and he turns his head to see Sungmin.

“Don’t worry. You’re safe now,” he says with a warm smile.

_ What would I do without all of you? _

“Thank you.”

Ryeowook would have said more, but another face in the group catches his attention. Sungmin follows his gaze, and he laughs when he sees who’s on the receiving end. “Go ahead. He was worried about you, too.”

Conscious of the eyes that are on him, Ryeowook is hesitant to rush to Henry. He tries to act nonchalant about it; he takes measured steps over to where the other stands, and the hug he gives him is hesitant, brief. Nothing that could be misconstrued as more than a reunion between friends.

Henry has no such qualms. He tugs the other man as close as he can manage, reaching a hand up to tangle his fingers through Ryeowook’s hair.

_ I missed you. _

Behind him, Heechul is still talking to Leeteuk, sounding like he’s mostly recovered from that moment of emotional transparency. “Shindong is backing up all of our files,” he says in a low voice. Ryeowook doubts that the room has microphones to pick up anything that’s said, but he supposes one can’t be too careful. “We’re going to relocate to the secondary Bunker as fast as we can.”

Ryeowook frowns, finally letting go of Henry. “Since when do we have a secondary Bunker?” he asks skeptically.

“Apparently since forever ago,” Eunhyuk answers for the Strategist, his arms crossed. “But Heechul, Leeteuk, and Shindong didn’t feel the need to share.”

“The fewer people who knew, the safer the secret would be,” Leeteuk says earnestly. “I would still trust all of you with my life.”

Heechul clicks his tongue. “Speaking of which...it’s probably best to leave before the Mayor realizes we’ve foiled his plan. Let’s get out of here.”

Ryeowook can’t agree more.

✯

Leeteuk is the last to leave. It’s his fingerprint that seals shut the entrance to the place that he’s called home for the past two years, countless memories entombed behind the concealed steel doors.

Maybe he’s being overdramatic. The people he’d made those memories with ━ the ones who’s made it this far ━ are still with him. Everything that has personal value or that’s necessary for the Resistance effort is being hauled to the new Bunker. The design was nearly identical, so it will almost be like they haven’t left at all. And yet…

There’s a tug at Leeteuk’s heart when he thinks about not being able to point at that one imperfection in the kitchen wall and say “Look, that’s where Yesung accidentally scared Ryeowook so badly that a frying pan ended up leaving a permanent dent.” Not being able to almost trip on the uneven last step coming down the stairs from his office and remember the time that Eunhyuk  _ did _ trip ━ quite spectacularly, and on top of Donghae, which Heechul hadn’t shut up about for the rest of the week. Not being able to sit at the table and remember when there were 11 other faces besides his own, imagine what it would be like to have all 13 ━no, all 15━ around that same table.

Nothing is going to be the same. Leeteuk can feel it in his bones.

He spares the unassuming cluster of rocks one last glance before turning to follow the rest of the group, and then he doesn’t look back.

(When the others are watching.)


	7. Chapter 7

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You know  _ exactly _ what I’m talking about.”

Ryeowook crosses his arms indignantly. “Don’t you think it’s a bit hypocritical, Kyuhyun, that  _ you’re _ the one saying this to  _ me _ ?”

“I’ve moved on from being embarrassed about Zhou Mi, unlike you seem to be doing with a certain someone.”

“No, that’s not it. I just…” The medic lets out a sigh. “It wasn’t too long ago that I was seeing someone else. I assumed he wanted a serious relationship, but I was wrong, and I ended up humiliated.”

“So you want to make sure Henry’s serious about you first.”

The nod Ryeowook gives him is more than a little sheepish. “It’s stupid, isn’t it?”

“Of course not. You have every right to go as fast or slow as you want,” Kyuhyun is quick to correct him. “Just don’t wait too long.”

“I know.”

“You just...well, you might have to ask permission from Donghae first if you two decide to go out.”

“He does realize that he and Eunhyuk didn’t actually...? Whatever makes them happy, I guess.”

Kyuhyun raises a skeptical eyebrow. “You’re not still jealous?”

“As if either of those two have any other intention besides continuing their neverending honeymoon phase.” His expression sobers. “And besides, it’s probably good for Henry. He misses having his parents around, but maybe they can help with some of the homesickness.”

Kyuhyun has to pause for a moment, shaking his head at the younger man in disbelief. “How are you so  _ nice _ all the time?” he can’t help but ask.

“You’re nice, too, Kyuhyun, even if you don’t want to admit it. Otherwise Zhou Mi wouldn’t like you. Which reminds me…” He has a triumphant smile on his face, which Kyuhyun doesn’t trust in the slightest. “If you’re forcing me to be up-front about my feelings, you have to promise to do the same thing.”

“I take it back. You’re devious and manipulative.”

“Deal?”

“...Deal.”

✯

In the spirit of the successful rescue mission, Sungmin insists that the Resistance members gather that evening in the main room for a few hours of bonding time. One or two of them roll their eyes, but Donghae is nothing but excited about the prospect; it seems like it’s been ages since they’ve last done something like this.

To be fair, though, there’s something to be said for Heechul’s teasing ‘campfire singalong’ comment. With all of them sitting in a circle on the floor, and with Sungmin strumming a few practice chords on his guitar...that’s exactly what it looks like, if one ignored the lack of fire, their underground location, and the fact that they were all a bit above the age to be doing such a thing.

“Okay,” Sungmin says, finished warming up. “Yesung, Ryeowook, you have a song in mind?”

Donghae can’t help but smile in anticipation. There’s certainly no lack of talent among the Resistance members, but Yesung and Ryeowook’s voices are on another level entirely. Even if everyone else doesn’t show it, Donghae is sure they’re all just as excited as he is after not hearing the two sing for so long. Except, now that he thinks about it, there’s one person here who’s never experienced this before…

As if sharing Donghae’s thoughts, Siwon speaks up from the other side of the circle. “Wait, did anyone ask Kyuhyun if he’s a good singer?”

Ten pairs of eyes turn toward the member in question, who seems a bit shy under the scrutiny. Umm...I think I’m okay?” he says uncertainly.

“Sing something!” Ryeowook insists. “Yesung and I wouldn’t mind another voice.”

It isn’t like anyone can say no to Ryeowook’s pout. Donghae is completely unsurprised when, a few seconds later, Kyuhyun is singing the opening lines to “7 Years of Love.”

A few jaws actually drop, Donghae’s included. Kyuhyun’s voice is...heavenly.

“Kyuhyun…” Ryeowook says when the other is done, “You  _ have _ to sing with us now. Do you know ‘This Is Love’?”

“Of course, but I’ve never━”

“Sungmin, start at the first chorus.”

The guitarist gives a nod, and Donghae watches Kyuhyun’s face go through a series of about five different expressions before the first chords start and three voices since in unison:

_ This is love, this is love, the gentle breeze… _

The whole circle is into it, humming softly under their breaths or just swaying to the music. Donghae is so transfixed by the harmonies interweaving with each other that it almost comes as a shock when Eunhyuk appears in front of him, offering a hand.

“Should we do what we do best?”

Donghae gives him a wide smile. “Of course.”

Sungmin’s guitar solo starts, and Donghae’s legs move as if they have a mind of their own. He hardly has to look at Eunhyuk to know ━to  _ feel _ ━ how the other moves. In the center of the circle, they flow around each other like water, twisting and turning without abandon until Eunhyuk twirls the younger man against his chest, halting their movements.

_ You made me realize love is about the small things _

The ending notes fade out, morphing into cheers and applause, and Donghae finally takes a moment to catch his breath. His head lolls forward to rest against Eunhyuk’s, who’s looking at him in awe. “Amazing as always, Hae,” he says softly, and it would be a really sweet moment, too, if Heechul didn’t cut in with “Honestly, you two, either kiss and get it over with or get the hell out of the circle.”

Donghae knows there’s nothing behind the words, but he still feels the need to be contrary. So when Eunhyuk says, “Your idea, Heechul, not mine,” and plants a deep kiss on Donghae’s lips, the latter feels no shame.

“Oh, for the love of━ I take it back. Sit down, lovebirds.”

The two are a blushing, laughing mess as they reclaim their spots in the circle. It’s probably why Heechul decides he’s finally had enough.

“Before we continue, I have something to say,” the Strategist starts.

Shindong snorts. “Look everyone, Heechul’s finally admitting his skincare routine is the reason we go over budget every month.”

“I thought that was because he keeps stealing extra food from the kitchen before I can ever cook with it,” Ryeowook says, sounding only half-amused.

Donghae didn’t think someone could physically roll their eyes this dramatically, but somehow Heechul manages to pull it off.

“I despise every single one of you. But as I was saying, I have an announcement.” Heechul allows a few seconds for a dramatic pause. “After everything that’s been happening recently, I sat down to do some thinking, and I realized that life is too short and these business cards…”

He takes a slip of paper out of his pocket, one that Donghae has seen before. ( _ Not  _ because he’d gotten one, but because he’d seen Hyukjae seething at the one he himself had received, just before he’d shredded it into a million unrecognizable pieces.) “These business cards are ridiculously pretentious. No one play dumb; I know you’re all aware of what they’re for. But that’s why I’m getting rid of them entirely.”

Donghae feels a wave of relief come over him. Finally, Heechul can stop doing this to himself. It’s not like Donghae has a problem with who the Strategist chooses to blow off steam with, but he can’t help but view it as an unhealthy way to bury his grief, no matter how nonchalant he appears.

That relief evaporates when the next words come out of Heechul’s mouth.

“My services are open to anyone who wants them, with no limits and no strings attached. You’re welcome.”

  
  


_ He...what? _

The others seem to have about the same reaction as Donghae. They look at Heechul like he’s grown another head.

“Heechul━” Sungmin says, a warning in the way he says the name, but the Strategist cuts him off.

“I know what I’m doing. And I thought it only made sense to tell all of you at once, so rumours don’t start spreading. Can’t have anyone thinking I’ve suddenly gotten shy, can I?”

Donghae doesn’t know what to say. He blinks a few times, staring at the Strategist and unable to wrap his brain around the words that have just come out of his mouth. Normally this sort of thing was expected from Heechul, considering how “shameless” could practically be his middle name. But this? Something doesn’t sit right with Donghae.

Shindong is making a half-hearted joke about Heechul maybe wanting to have some modesty for once, but Donghae doesn’t want to hear any more. Instead, he leans into Eunhyuk, asking quietly, “Coping mechanism?”

“That was my first thought,” the other man agrees immediately. “I just hope this isn’t going to make things worse.”

Donghae’s concern only compounds when he sees Leeteuk looking at Heechul with the most brokenhearted expression on his face; not one of disapproval, but one that says the Resistance leader knows exactly what Heechul is doing ━ and it’s not going to end well.

But there’s nothing Donghae can do now to reverse Heechul’s decision. He’ll just have to hope that this doesn’t end in disaster, that the Strategist won’t have to go through any more pain. For the moment he puts a smile on his face and let’s Eunhyuk’s fingers intertwine comfortably with his own, letting the rush of renewed arguing and teasing wash over him. It is, after all, the first time in a long while that all is well.

He has to savor it while he can.

✯

Leeteuk paces the floor of his office, chewing absently on his thumbnail. He feels restless, somehow. Like there are so many things that he should be doing but isn’t. Or maybe it’s because he knows who will be knocking on his door in a few minutes, and despite his better judgement, it makes him nervous.

_ Knock, knock. _

“Come in!”

The door opens gingerly, and an uncertain Kangin appears in its place. Leeteuk knows the uncertainty is his own fault: after all, he’d been the one to put his responsibilities as leader above...whatever they’d had. But that decision isn’t what he regrets, exactly. What he regrets is the way they’ve grown apart ever since, to the point that sometimes it even feels like they’re strangers. As for whether or not things have to continue that way? That remains to be seen.

“You, um...wanted to see me?” Kangin asks, still hovering near the door.

Leeteuk is quick to gesture to the other chair in the room. “Yeah, you can sit down, if you want.”

The other man hesitates for a brief moment, but he accepts the offer, and they each take a seat on opposite sides of Leeteuk’s desk. Which, as far as the circumstances go, is actually a fitting metaphor.

_ Focus, Jungsoo. If you mess this up, you probably won’t get another chance. _

Thankfully, Kangin doesn’t wait for him to start.

“So, tell me honestly,” the Boom Squad leader says, “how are you holding up? We’ve been celebrating ever since you’ve gotten back, but you still spent thirty hours in enemy hands.”

“I’m…”  _ How do I say it?  _ “...alright, I guess. I could have been much worse, especially if all of you hadn’t shown up when you did. But I can’t stop thinking: what kind of leader am I, waiting to be rescued like that?”

“You’re human. There’s nothing wrong with needing other people; otherwise there wouldn’t have been a point in founding the Resistance.”

“They still shouldn’t need to worry about me. I’m their  _ leader _ . I’m supposed to set an example for the rest of the group, and what have I done lately besides end up thrown up in prison, stay behind while the others actually make a difference, and get our members killed?”

“Jungsoo.”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m sorry.” Leeteuk clenches his fists until his nails start to bite into skin, willing himself to keep it together.

“Stop apologizing. I know I’m not the first to tell you this, but what happened wasn’t your fault. Not a single person here blames you, even Heechul.”

Leeteuk is going to respond, but he suddenly forgets every word he’s about to say, because no one has ever looked at him like Kangin is now.

“Not just anyone can be a leader,” the other man continues to insist. “You inspire the others to follow you, and they trust you. I trust you.”

“Even though I was a few seconds away from selling every single one of you out?”

“You reacted like anyone would.”

“But━”

Kangin suddenly changes tactics. “How did that happen?” he asks, pointing to Leeteuk’s bandaged face.

“I wouldn’t let them touch Ryeowook.”

“Exactly. You’re selfless, brave, and too kind for your own good. A leader. One that I would follow to Hell and back.”

The conviction in the other man’s voice is so strong, Leeteuk actually,  _ finally _ starts to believe it. He has to swallow the lump in his throat, the rush of gratitude that comes over him almost too much to handle. “Thank you, Youngwoon.

“Any time. I mean it.”

It’s only after Kangin leaves a short time later that the Resistance leader realizes what was missing from their exchange: Kangin had been so invested in making sure that Leeteuk was fine, there hadn’t been a chance to ask...was  _ Kangin _ , who had grown more and more distant from everyone as the months passed, alright?

✯

Kyuhyun props his chin up with one hand, elbow resting on the table in front of him, and doesn’t even try to disguise the goofy grin that was probably (read: most definitely) stretched across his face. How could he, when he was unashamedly smitten with the man sitting across from him?

It isn’t their first time out together on a date like this, which is why Kyuhyun can use ‘smitten with’ and not ‘unreasonably nervous about’ as his descriptor of choice; it’s actually their third. Only a few days after they’d met, Kyuhyun had followed Sungmin’s advice and set up a time for them to get lunch, which had gone surprisingly well. Well enough for them to be here now, sitting comfortably in the back of some eatery suggested by one of Zhou Mi’s friends.

A familiar voice draws Kyuhyun out of his distracted state. “I’m sorry I made you wait for so long,” Zhou Mi apologizes. “I was going to get in touch with you right away after last time, but between moving to the new Cluster and securing my new job, things have been pretty chaotic.”

With his free hand, Kyuhyun waves away the apology. “It’s fine, Mi. It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing on our end, either.”

“Oh?” the immediate concern that appears on Zhou Mi’s face admittedly makes Kyuhyun’s heart flutter. Just a little. “What happened? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t the one in danger ━ the police got into the Bunker and took Leeteuk and Ryeowook. We rescued them eventually, but...I don’t know. Leeteuk seems really shaken up, and we had to move to a different hideout.”

“And you don’t know how they broke in?”

“We know  _ how _ . Someone forgot to re-seal the entrance. The real question is  _ who _ . It was strange, though, because Heechul cut the conversation off before anyone could own up to it.”

Zhou Mi frowns. “So you think it was him?”

“Honestly? I have no idea. But everyone’s safe now, so I guess that’s the important thing.”

There are a few beats of reflective silence before Zhou Mi asks, “How’s Henry holding up?”, putting the smile back on Kyuhyun’s face.

“He adjusted right away, seems to be happy. I talked to Ryeowook about coming clean with him━”

“Kyuhyun!”

“I didn’t say anything too pushy! And I held out as long as I could, really, but if you’d have seen them when we rescued Ryeowook...all they needed was a bit of a shove in the right direction.”

Zhou Mi shakes his head good-naturedly. “Romance is dead, it seems. But, um, on that note…” To Kyuhyun’s surprise, the other man looks shy, even embarrassed. “So, we’ve gone on these ‘dates’ a few times now, and I guess I assumed some things, but I need to ask: are we together? Exclusive? In any way serious?”

Kyuhyun’s smile grows even wider at Zhou Mi’s flustered state. He reaches out to take the other’s hands in his. “Mi,” he says gently, “You don’t have to feel weird about asking. But to answer your question, you’re the only one I’m interested in, and believe me when I say that I’m really,  _ really _ interested.”

“That’s a relief,” Zhou Mi says sheepishly. “Because I actually think about you all the time? And I can’t stop counting down until the next time I get to see you? And sometimes I just stop and wonder where you’ve been all my life?”

“Why do all of these sound like questions?”

“Because it’s  _ embarrassing _ ! How would you feel if━ Kyuhyun, stop laughing at me!”

“Sorry, your face was priceless. But I actually did think all of that was really sweet.”

“Well, then, as long as I’m in the midst of throwing away my pride, I have another question.”

“Go for it.” Kyuhyun gives his hands an encouraging squeeze.

“I want to call you by your Chinese name.”

“You want...what?”

Zhou Mi bites his lip. “I was just thinking about it recently. Because I realized I wanted to address you differently than everyone else, like in a couple way? So I thought, ‘of course, I’ll just shorten his first name,’ but then I realized that a lot of your friends seem to do that anyway, so...I wanted to call you Kui Xian, instead.”

_ Cho Kyuhyun, you are the luckiest bastard on this planet, and you’d better act like it. _

“I like it,” Kyuhyun agrees, even more so when Zhou Mi’s face lights up like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Kui Xian,” Zhou Mi repeats, seeming to test it out. “My Kui Xian. It’s perf━ are you blushing?”

“Umm.”

“Kui Xian, you look so cute when you blush!~”

✯

“They’re ridiculous.”

“I don’t know; I think they’re pretty cute.”

Kyuhyun turns to look disbelievingly at Sungmin, making sure to keep his voice down and not give away their hiding place when he says, “I thought you would have been the first to be fed up with them running circles around each other.”

“Does that look like running circles to you?”

Craning his neck to get a better view from the doorway, Kyuhyun peers at the pair in question. They’re facing away from the two observers as they lounge on the couch in the Bunker’s main room, so all that’s visible is the backs of their heads. How is Sungmin making any judgements from  _ this _ ?

“I can’t even see what they’re doing.”

“They’re watching a movie on someone’s laptop . Probably something from Donghae’s collection ━ God knows he has enough hoarded in his room to choose from.”

Okay, so maybe that’s a little cute, if predictable. But Kyuhyun still doesn’t see any evidence of anything being different than it had been...wait, did Henry just…?

“Please don’t tell me Henry just pulled the ‘yawn-and-whoops-my-arm-is-around-you’ move on Ryeowook,” Kyuhyun says flatly.

Sungmin laughs under his breath. “Come on, they’re adorable. And a bit ridiculous, but really, what else did you expect from these two?”

Kyuhyun is about to concede the point, but then something ━or rather, some _ one _ ━ poking his head out from the opposite entryway catches his eye.

_ Donghae? _

“Where there’s one, there’s the other,” Sungmin says, following Kyuhyun’s gaze. “Wait for it...and there we go.”

Eunhyuk’s face appears beside Donghae’s, but they don’t spare one look at the other observers. They have eyes only for the (gag-inducingly cheesy) couple, who they seem to silently coo over with matching grins, looking for all the world like proud parents.

_ And to think we’re all going to be the ones to topple a government regime. _

✯

The next few days pass without incident, which is, in Kyuhyun’s mind, nothing but a sign that  _ something _ is bound to go wrong. When Kangin does a full inventory of their weapons cache, he’s surprised that several grenades don’t go off and blow the armory to bits When Yesung leaves to re-scout the area around the entrance, he braces himself for Drones to come pouring down the stairwell. And when someone (Donghae) thinks it would be funny to hide half of Heechul’s skincare products, he fully expects the Strategist to morph into a six-headed Hydra and devour their souls.

To be fair, that last one isn’t too far off from what actually happened.

As the disaster-free hours tick by, Kyuhyun is nearly lulled into a sense of complacency, and of course that’s when things go wrong.

“Leeteuk!”

Ryeowook’s voice echoes through the Bunker, reaching Kyuhyun’s ears even all the way down the hall and into his room.

_ What the _ ━ _ ? _

He jumps out of his chair, grabs the pistol on his nightstand, and rushes toward the source of the noise. He isn’t alone; the other members emerge from behind doors and on stairwells, equipped with similar weapons.

Leeteuk meets them in the main room. “I heard Ryeowook’s voice,” he says frantically. “Did anyone see━?”

“Leeteuk!”

It’s coming from the entrance, just up the stairs. Leeteuk moves faster than Kyuhyun thought humanly possible, and the others follow his lead. The entrance is open and the metal hatch drawn back, which is the first evidence that something is wrong. But the entrance itself isn’t what everyone’s eyes are drawn to as they step out into the hazy mid-afternoon air. That distinction falls to Siwon, who’s lying motionless on the ground in front of Ryeowook.

Leeteuk hisses in a breath, but he goes to the younger man first, asking, “Are you hurt?” while Shindong kneels down next to Siwon.

“I’m fine,” Ryeowook reassures the Resistance leader. “I just don’t know what happened. I was going to get something from the kitchen when I noticed the entrance was open, so I went to check. At first I thought Siwon had just forgotten to close it when he went out on patrol, but then I found him like this...I didn’t know what to do, so I called you.”

“You did well, Ryeowook.” Leeteuk nods in Shindong’s direction. “How’s Siwon?”

“He’s got a pulse; he’s just unconscious, but I don’t know━”

“Blunt force trauma,” Yesung says suddenly, making ten heads turn his way. “What?” he asks. “You can see where the welt is forming. Someone hit him over the head and knocked him out cold.”

The sound of a gun being loaded shifts the center of attention from Yesung to the Shadow Squad leader. “You know what this means, then,” Eunhyuk says seriously. “Someone else is in the Bunker. And we need to teach them a lesson.”

Leeteuk frowns. “There’s one thing bothering me, though...If the break-in was by the government, it would have been with a police force, and we wouldn’t still be here to talk. My guess is that it’s a scavenger looking for supplies who saw us as an opportunity. Which means…”

“No lethal weapons,” Eunhyuk finishes for him, re-engaging his gun’s safety with a disappointed look.

“Exactly. When we go back in, everyone needs to get one of the tranquilizer guns from the armory and split up. Heechul, you divide teams up once we’re inside.”

“Got it.”

“Ryeowook, you and Henry stay in the main room. We’ll all be able to hear you if you need to call for help.”

Both of the men nod their agreement, and unified under the orders, the Resistance members file back inside.

Heechul is still splitting them into groups when a loud sound comes from the main room.

Kyuhyun is at the front of the rush back, ready to defend his friends, but the scene he gets is the exact opposite of what he expects to find: Ryeowook stands in the center of the room, frying pan raised threateningly over his head and a scavenger’s body crumpled at his feet.

It’s as fantastic as it is terrifying.

There was a collective silence as the other members process the unexpected conclusion, broken only by Henry’s shocked voice.

“Ryeowook...I’ll be perfectly honest: I have never been as attracted to you as I am right now.”

The man in question starts to look a little less like he could break someone’s neck with his bare hands and a little more like himself with the bashful smile that appears on his face. That’s the only warning anyone gets before he’s pulling Henry away by the wrist, out of the room and down the hallway before anyone can get a word in.

“Use protection, kids!” Heechul calls after them, before he’s silenced by Leeteuk’s slap.

“They grow up so fast.”

“You two have a serious problem; you’d better be glad you don’t actually have children.”

“If you insult Donghae again, Heechul, I’ll shave your head while you’re sleeping.”

“You won’t dare.”

“Guys, I think Henry and Ryeowook might end up being worse than Eunhae.”

“Hey!”

“Seriously, whose idea was it to get them together? Sungmin?”

“Don’t look at me. it’s Kyuhyun’s fault.”

“Zhou Mi’s the one who even brought it up to me; if anyone’s to blame, it’s him!”

“Are you seriously throwing your boyfriend under the bus right now?”

“Not cool, Kyuhyun. Not cool.”

“Guys!” Ryeowook’s face appears in the hallway once more, voice cutting off the bickering. “I love all of you ━ really, I do. But you’re killing the moment.”


	8. Chapter 8

When Heechul shows up at Kyuhyun’s door with another bottle of wine, the latter is immediately suspicious.

“You’re not trying to get in my pants again, are you?”

“Please, you have Zhou Mi for that now.”

“Shut up.”

It’s a while before Heechul actually says anything beyond meaningless small-talk, which probably isn’t a good sign: it means he has to be drunk to even start talking about whatever is on his mind.

“So, I took back my free service offer,” the Strategist says bluntly, setting down his glass. “Not that anyone even tried to use it in the first place, and not that you were planning to, but whatever.”

Kyuhyun looks at him skeptically. “No offense, Heechul, but you can’t have seriously believed that anyone was going to even consider something like that when it came out of nowhere.”

“Of course it came out of nowhere. That’s how I do everything: in the moment, and with no regrets.”

Kyuhyun doesn’t buy it for a second. “Then tell me why you’re here trying to get drunk if everything’s fine.”

A glare is sent Kyuhyun’s way as Heechul refills his glass once again, downing half of it in one go. “Don’t be a smartass, Kyuhyun. I’m  _ here _ because I feel like shit, and I wanted someone half-decent to talk to who won’t go tattling on me to Jungsoo.”

The glare aside, he doesn’t look angry. He looks defeated, miserable even. It’s a look that doesn’t suit him.

“ _ Anyway _ ,” Heechul continues pointedly. “I figured out my problem yesterday when the junior lovebirds finally got together. I’m lonely, yeah, but trying to sleep around with you idiots while you’re all pairing yourselves off isn’t helping. It’s because I’ve got this awful, gaping hole in my chest where Geng’s supposed to be, and━”

Suddenly, Heechul’s face contorts, and he buries his head in his hands, hiding his expression from Kyuhyun’s alarmed gaze.

“I just really fucking miss him, you know?” He sounds like he’s on the brink of an emotional breakdown.

“Heechul…”

“And I keep doing the same stupid things to try and get over him. What I did to Jungsoo after the mission was bad enough, but look at me: I have a damn  _ business card _ , Kyuhyun. I whore myself out to distract from the way I feel like I’m going to throw up when I picture his face. If you would have seen what a trainwreck I was a few months ago, the way I tried to throw myself at Sungmin...I guess I never really changed, huh? Attention-seeking, broken Kim Heechul.”

Kyuhyun can’t speak. It’s too much to process. And if it’s too much for him, how must it be for Heechul? “I’m sorry,” is all he can think to say.

“You had nothing to do with it, you moron,” Heechul says, finally uncovering his face. (Kyuhyun pretends not to see the tears that the Strategist scrubs away with the heels of his hands, the red splotches around his eyes.) “Don’t feel bad for one second about cashing in that dumb card. I needed to get this off my chest, and you sat through it, so thanks.” His gaze turns down toward his lap, away from Kyuhyun’s eyes. “Just don’t tell Jungsoo about this, okay? He doesn’t need another thing to worry about.”

“You have my word. And Heechul?” The Strategist looks up at him. “You’re... not broken. Maybe it won’t be for a few more years, maybe not entirely, but you’ll be okay. If there’s someone who can get through this, it’s going to be the great Kim Heechul, isn’t it?”

Heechul slowly shakes his head. “You’re such a sap, Cho Kyuhyun.” A weak smile appears on his face. “I’m glad I met you.”

✯

Shindong is typing away on his keyboard, eyes flickering back and forth across multiple monitors, when he hears footsteps coming down the basement stairs. With the silence that follows their arrival, he already knows who they belong to.

“Kangin. It’s been a while.”

The Boom Squad leader doesn’t respond, but Shindong hears as he takes a seat, which he takes as a cue to swivel his chair around. Kangin looks troubled, like most of the times he comes to talk, but this has a certain brand of troubled ━ one that Shindong recognizes immediately.

“You’ve been talking to him, haven’t you?”

Kangin’s face gives it away, but he still answers, “Yeah.”

And I’m guessing you managed to say absolutely nothing about how you’re actually feeling.” Another silence confirms Shindong’s suspicions, and he lets out a sigh. “You’ve got to lighten up, man. This has only been getting worse, and what do you think you’ll gain from keeping everything to yourself, huh?”

“I’m not  _ trying _ to.” Finally, an actual sentence. “It just happens that way. I look at the world going to hell, I see our chances dwindling down to nothing, I want to talk to him about it, and then...I take one look at his face, and I can’t bring myself to cause him any more pain.”

“ _ Tell him that _ . If anything, you not saying this sort of thing is what’s hurting him.”

He isn’t getting a reaction. Well, fine. If Kangin is going to be stubborn, Shindong is going to push right back. “Kangin, I know about━”

“Don’t say it.” The warning in his voice is clear. “How many others?”

“At least one, not including me. But that’s not my point; what I’m trying to say is that nothing good ever comes from keeping secrets and regrets locked up. Nothing. Keep that in mind.”

Kangin excuses himself with what hardly qualifies as a goodbye.

✯

Thursday finds all four members of Shadow Squad perched on the ledge of a Capital rooftop, meticulously bugging a handful of the cameras that observe the city’s inhabitants. Or, more accurately, it finds Kyuhyun fiddling with the electronics while the others keep a careful watch over their perimeter.

With a short fizz of an electric spark, the job is finished. “I did it,” Kyuhyun says to Eunhyuk, standing and stretching his sore legs.

The squad leader gives him a nod. “Nice. That’s all Shindong said he needed from us, so I guess we’d better head back...back to…” He sways for a moment, face going dangerously pale, before his eyes roll back into his head. Only Yesung’s quick reflexes keep him from falling off the ledge.

“Hyukjae!” Donghae is by his side in seconds, frantically shaking him. “Hyukjae, wake up! What’s wrong with him?”

Yesung gently pushes Donghae’s hands away, adjusting his hold on Eunhyuk so that the latter will stop slipping out of his arms. “He’s fine, Donghae,” he says. “He’s still breathing. We need to stay calm, get back to the gates, and bring him to Ryeowook. Okay?”

Donghae’s response is barely above a whisper. “Okay.”

✯

Ryeowook’s hands flutter to his face when he sees Yesung and Zhou Mi (the latter of whom had volunteered to help after seeing the Shadow Squad leader’s state) carrying Eunhyuk’s unmoving form into the Bunker. “Bring him to his room,” he tells them quickly. “I’ll get my things.”

Kyuhyun and Donghae follow the other two ━ Kyuhyun because he feels obligated to see the matter resolved, and Donghae because...well, Kyuhyun doesn’t really need to spell that out, does he? They lay Eunhyuk down on the mattress after they double-check him for weapons. To no one’s surprise, Donghae hardly waits until they finish before he sits down, too, taking Eunhyuk’s hand in his own.

“What happened to him?” he asks, looking up at the others with searching eyes.

It’s Zhou Mi who speaks up. “I saw something similar in a Cluster I visited once,” he volunteers. “The poor girl passed out from overworking herself. If I had to guess, I’d say Eunhyuk is just exhausted.”

Donghae’s expression changes very quickly. One moment, it drips with fear and concern; the next it turns to stone. “I guess it makes sense, then. Thank you for the insight.”

They don’t end up having to wait very long for Eunhyuk to regain consciousness. Ryeowook hasn’t even made it back when the Shadow Squad leader begins to stir, blinking his eyes open and looking very much like a lost puppy.

“Hae? ...Where am I?”

“What the hell were you thinking, Hyukjae?” Donghae bursts out, surprising everyone in the room.

“What?”

“I’ve been telling you to stop for weeks. You skip meals to train harder, you stay up past 3 nearly every night ‘working’, and now you’ve gone and collapsed in the middle of a mission!”

No one looks more shocked than Eunhyuk. “Donghae, I didn’t mean to━”

“You could have  _ died _ ! A few more inches and you would have fallen off the edge and left me here alone. Is that what you want!?” His voice cracks. “Why won’t you just take care of yourself?”

A sob escapes from his lips, and Eunhyuk sits up to pull the other man against his chest. “I’m so sorry,” he apologizes. He still looks stunned, but at least now he seems mostly aware of what’s going on. “You’re not going to be alone.”

Kyuhyun feels a pull on his shoulder, and he turns to see Zhou Mi gesturing for them to leave. Yesung is already walking through the doorway. “They’ll be fine,” Zhou Mi says in a barely audible whisper, “but they need some time alone.”

Kyuhyun lets himself be led out of the room.

(When they pass Ryeowook in the hallway, the medic is more than a little disappointed when he’s told his skills won’t be needed just yet. He is, however, more than understanding about leaving the two alone for a while longer before he checks Eunhyuk’s vitals.)

(He’s a romantic like that.)

✯

If there’s one thing Leeteuk hates doing the most, it’s probably going to others for help. Over the years, he’s trained himself to be unselfish, independent, and self-reliant: the kind of leader others will respect. The thought of troubling someone else with his problems when he’s supposed to be the face of the Resistance goes against everything he’s conditioned himself to think.

Yet Kangin’s words have struck a chord with him. They’ve started to make him believe that he can be strong  _ and _ not be afraid to lean on others in times of trouble. Maybe that’s the true measure of a leader: having the courage to show your weakness.

Those are the thoughts that lead him down to the armory when the clock hits 10 p.m.. He’s never been to one of Siwon’s “faith sessions” ━a term dubbed by the other members, not Siwon himself━ but he supposes that if he’s looking for guidance, this can’t be a bad way to go.

As he approaches, he sees Donghae and Eunhyuk walk out hand-in-hand, the pair giving him matching smiles.

“This is your first time going, right?” Eunhyuk asks. At Leeteuk’s hesitant nod, he says reassuringly, “Don’t be nervous. It’s still just Siwon.”

Leeteuk almost could have hugged him for the comment. Instead, he closes the gap between himself and the doorway, crosses the threshold, and…

...everything is completely normal. There are no bibles or candles, hymnals or offering plates. Just Siwon sitting on the floor with his eyes closed and a content look on his face. A moment later, his eyes open, widening for a moment in surprise before they return to normal. “Leeteuk!” he says warmly. “This is a surprise.”

“Sorry if I came at a bad time. I thought it was at 10, but I saw the other two leaving…”

“It’s perfectly fine; to be honest, I don’t have a set schedule anymore.” Siwon gestures to the spot in front of him, an offer which Leeteuk gratefully accepts. “I’m available when anyone needs to talk. And it seems like that’s something you need right now.”

“I’ve needed it for a while, to tell the truth. But I’m finally trying to do something about it.”

To Leeteuk’s relief, Siwon doesn’t balk at his forwardness. He nods understandingly, saying, “In that case, I hope I can be what you’re looking for. But before we start, if I may, would you mind if I use your real name?”

It throws the Resistance leader for a loop. There are only two people still alive who use his birth name: Heechul and occasionally Kangin. To get such a sudden request is…

“I only ask,” the other man clarifies, “because it might make our conversation more comfortable. I would, of course, still address you normally any time out of this setting.”

“Go ahead, then. I won’t mind.”

“Thank you.” Siwon folds his hands together contemplatively, as if thinking of where to begin. “So tell me, Jungsoo, are you religious?”

Siwon is just full of big questions that evening. Leeteuk’s lips turn down in a frown. “Honestly speaking, I don’t know anymore. I used to be, before all of this started. Heechul thought I was crazy.”

“Then you’re not here to pray. You’re here for guidance.”

“I guess so? I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I could use some sort of…”

“Hope,” Siwon finishes for, making Leeteuk nod.

“Actually, I think you’re right. How did you know?”

“You’re not alone; that’s the heart of the matter when everyone comes to talk. Some want their faith in God affirmed or restored, others want reassurance that they’re on the right path, but it all boils down to one thing: hope.”

Leeteuk has never heard the other man sound so wise beyond his years. “Maybe you can give me some, then,” he says with an uncertain smile. “It couldn’t hurt.”

Siwon gives him one last soul-piercing look, and then the formalities of the conversation are over. For the next two hours, Leeteuk finds his doubts and worries picked apart, scrutinized, and gradually filed down. Long-held beliefs about his responsibilities are challenged, his internalized sense of defeat was brought to the surface to be purged, and by the time they’re done...he feels like a new person. Or maybe that isn’t the right way to put it. He feels like himself again, only this time his mind is focused and his conscience is clear.

_ I’m more than just Leeteuk, the strong, fearless leader. I am Park Jungsoo, and I won’t let anyone make me forget that ever again. _

✯

Sungmin nearly rips the armory door from its hinges as he swings it open, slamming it shut behind him. Just inside, taking count of various types of ammunition, is Kangin, who gives him a look that asks ‘what the hell was that?’

“Okay, that’s it,” Sungmin tells him angrily. “I’ve had it up to  _ here _ with your melodrama. And since it seems like everyone else is too busy walking on eggshells around you, I guess I’m going to have to be the bad guy.”

The Boom Squad leader gives him a hard look. “Melodrama. Is that what you’re calling it?”

“That’s exactly what it is. I get it, okay? You loved Leeteuk ━ you still love Leeteuk ━ and he dumped you. It sucks. But that doesn’t mean━”

“You know what else ‘sucks’, Sungmin?” Kangin asks, sounding angrier by the second. “Not being able to forget all the people you couldn’t save, and knowing their blood is on your hands. Seeing that last spark of hope get dimmer and dimmer every day that we sit here trying to figure out what we can possibly do to help.”

Sungmin feels himself snap. “We’re  _ all  _ going through that, you bastard! You don’t think Siwon gets miserable when he thinks about our odds? Yesung? Donghae? Wake up, Kangin. You’re not the only one who’s suffering, and I’m sick of watching you act like everything is your burden to bear!”

“You have no idea what I’m going through.”

“Everyone here has gone through just as much grief and suffering, if not worse. For God’s sake, your parents are still alive. You walked away ━ hardly any of us had that luxury.”

“So what?” Kangin takes a few threatening steps forward. “I’m not allowed to have problems because there are people who have it worse than me?”

“You can have as many problems as you want. Just stop convincing yourself that you’re being forced to deal with them alone.”

“Get out, Sungmin.”

“But━”

“I said get out.”

This didn’t go like Sungmin wanted it to at all. He opens his mouth again to speak, but the rage on Kangin’s face renders him mute. Silently, he walks back out the door as quickly as he’d come in.

The truth was? He’s worried as hell about the other man, and he doesn’t know how else to shake him out of that miserable spiral. But now...he can’t help but think that he’s only made things worse.

✯

_ Happy Birthday, Donghae and Henry… _

_ Happy Birthday to you! _

Applause sounds around the circle of Resistance members, and the two men in question practically glow with happiness.

Technically speaking, today is only Donghae’s birthday, but since Henry failed to mention it when his own birthday passed a few days earlier (Kyuhyun thought Ryeowook was going to blow a gasket when he found out that he missed it), Donghae agreed to a joint celebration. It’s good timing, too; they all need a pick-me-up. Kyuhyun had overheard Leeteuk talking to Heechul, and it seems like the Resistance’s final strike is close at hand.

Henry opens his presents first. For the most part, both recipients got cards instead of gifts, just because of their practicality, but there are some exceptions. Ryeowook had made him a scrapbook with the box of old photographs Henry had carried around with him since he’d come to Korea, which is met with the utmost admiration (“So  _ this _ is what you wanted them for? That’s amazing!”). Eunhyuk and Donghae get him two learning-Japanese books, which is apparently just the thing he’s looking for. (“Thanks so much, you guys! I love them~)

When it’s Donghae’s turn, he takes the time to read through every single card, individually thanking every member, and then he excitedly goes for his gifts.

Heechul’s is opened first. He gives Donghae a surprisingly thoughtful Disney DVD that he managed to buy off a traveling merchant, and Kyuhyun wonders what the catch is until Heechul says “I was going to give you Hyukjae in a box, but for some reason he wouldn’t agree to having a bow on his head. Or maybe it was that I insisted he be nude.”

Sungmin promptly elbows the Strategist in the ribs, and Kyuhyun doesn’t know which is better: the wicked smirk that’s still on Heechul’s face (it’s good to see him acting like himself again) or Eunhyuk’s murderous expression.

The Shadow Squad leader’s eye twitches threateningly. “Kim Heechul, you perverted little━”

“Oh, like I’m not insinuating something that’s going to happen later anyway.”

Siwon looks just about ready to fall on his knees and beg God’s forgiveness for all of them. “Please tell me someone got Donghae something nice for his birthday.  _ Without  _ the added innuendo.”

Eunhyuk seems to shake himself out of ‘murder Heechul’ mode. “I have something,” he says, reaching behind his back to retrieve a box. Very carefully, he places it in Donghae’s waiting hands.

The eager smile drops off of Donghae’s face the moment he opens the box. Kyuhyun sees a bracelet sitting inside, but no markings, no tags that give away its significance.

“Hyukjae, is this…?”

“It is.”

“How…?” Donghae can’t finish the sentence. His lips visibly tremble as he handles the bracelet with almost reverent hands.

“I’ve been searching for months now,” Eunhyuk says softly. “To the point that I burned myself out and collapsed. I’ve been going back to our old Cluster, following a lead after someone picked it out of the rubble and sold it. It took a long time to track down, but...I thought it was worth it, since it was your mother’s.”

_ Oh my god… _

Too overwhelmed to speak, Donghae carefully puts the bracelet back into its box. He clings to Eunhyuk like the other is his lifeline, turning his face away from the group to bury himself in the warmth of an embrace.

Eunhyuk rubs reassuring circles into the younger man’s back. “It’s okay, Hae. I’ve got you.”

Just as gently, Ryeowook rests his fingers on Donghae’s arm. “Donghae?” he asks. “I made a cake for you and Henry. Maybe having a bit will cheer you up?”

Donghae nods against Eunhyuk’s shoulder, his “thanks, Wook,” coming out mostly muffled.

In a few minutes, when the cake is cut into 12 slices and passed around the circle, Donghae will turn to the group with watery eyes. “You guys are the best,” he’ll say, quickly amending it to “You guys are the second best; Hyukjae’s still my favorite” at said man’s teasing nudge. The buzz of relaxed conversation will fill the room, and their future will look brighter than it ever has.

But for now, while Ryeowook goes to the kitchen, the group waits in silence. Waits and watches just a small glimpse of the unrivaled love between best friends and soulmates.

And Kyuhyun thinks to himself,  _ If I end up with even half of what they have, I’ll die a lucky man. _


	9. Chapter 9

It’s strange for Zhou Mi to get out of his wagon in front of the Resistance hideout, as opposed to dropping a handful of members off a short distance away. It’s even stranger to press his thumb into the concealed keypad and hear a confirmatory  _ click _ before the ground slides open, revealing the stairs that lead to the heart of the Outsiders’ last hope.

When Kyuhyun had last come to see him (had it really only been their fourth date?), the younger man had insisted on taking an inking of Zhou Mi’s thumbprint back with him. “Leeteuk’s giving you permission to come to the Bunker whenever you want,” Kyuhyun had told him. “Shindong can add your print to the system as soon as I bring back the impression.” The only condition was that Zhou Mi had to agree to assist the Resistance in their final strike, which he would have done anyway, so he hadn’t hesitated before agreeing to Kyuhyun’s request.

Yesterday, he’d found a letter stashed in his belongings.

_ It’s that time. _

_ Come tomorrow around 6pm. Tell no one where you’re going, and bring everything you’ll need for the next few days. _

There was no signature, but it wasn’t necessary. Zhou Mi understood immediately. He left the following morning, and here he is now, stepping just inside the entrance and remembering to seal it with another press of his thumb.

The silence that greets him is a far cry from the last time he’d been inside, helping to carry Eunhyuk. His heart nearly leaps out of this throat when he walks into the main room and comes face-to-face with Sungmin.

“Zhou Mi, you made it,” the other man says cheerfully. “They’re waiting for you upstairs, so you can go right in.”

“Thank you. Is, um…?”

Sungmin gives him a knowing smile, pointing down one of the hallways. “Kyuhyun’s room is the third door on the right. I’ll make sure he doesn’t fall asleep while you’re in the meeting.”

_ ...Am I that obvious? _

When Zhou Mi opens the door at the top of the stairwell, he finally finds the noise that’s absent from the rest of the Bunker. Leeteuk, Heechul, Kangin, Eunhyuk, and Shindong ━the members with the most authority, he knows━ stand around a table in the center of the room, pointing at various locations on an enlarged map.

“━can’t just expect that to work, Heechul!” Eunhyuk is in the middle of yelling.

“What, and your idea was any better?”

“Quiet!”

The last order comes from Leeteuk, who Zhou Mi thinks looks impressively calm, given the circumstances. “Zhou Mi’s here now,” Leeteuk continues, “so we can really start the meeting. Move over and give him a place to stand.”

Kangin shifts a short distance to his left, and Zhou Mi inserts himself in the space between him and Heechul.

“I don’t know how much help I’ll be,” Zhou Mi admits. “I have no idea what you’ve been planning, and I’m mediocre at best with any kind of weapon.”

“You won’t have to shoot at anyone. You  _ are _ important, though, Zhou Mi. We need a way in and out of the city, and no one else here can do that but you. As for the plan...Shindong?”

Zhou Mi has seen Shindong only once, at a funeral he’d rather not remember. Compared to then, he’s livelier, more in control. He seems to fill up the room with his presence when he begins to lay out the plan.

“Our main goal is to get my broadcast playing across the entire Capital,” he starts. “That means someone is going to have to go into the communications hub and manually insert a disc I created. There’s a virus burned onto it along with the broadcast, so the second it comes into contact with the firewalls, they should go down.”

“I volunteer to upload the broadcast,” Kangin says, surprising Zhou Mi when he actually speaks.

“Then I’ll go with you,” Leeteuk insists.

Heechul cuts them off. “Wait, before we decide on teams, we need to decide everything else that needs to get done. You can’t just stroll into the building and expect not to get arrested. It’s swarming with Drones and the Capital’s police.”

“Then you should take another group and create a diversion,” Eunhyuk tells him.

“And what are  _ you _ planning on doing, then?”

Leeteuk answers for him. “We also need someone to target the central prison. Just uploading the broadcast isn’t good enough; we have to initiate an uprising before we make our escape from the city. The freed prisoners should be able to help us while we’re there and after we’re gone.”

“And you want me to do it?”

“I think you’re the only one who  _ can  _ do it, considering it’s going to be a difficult infiltration.”

“Understood. But I’m picking my team.”

“Hold on,” Heechul interrupts, “what exactly is my ‘distraction’ supposed to be? I mean, I’m all for blowing something up and running for my life, but I’m going to need a target.”

Zhou Mi raises his hand uncertainly. “What about the statue of Mayor Park in front of the government headquarters?”

To his relief, Heechul gives him an impressed look. “I like how you think. That just means I need someone from Boom Squad with me.”

“Fine, you can choose teams now,” Leeteuk concedes. “Everyone’s coming along except...Donghee, are you staying?”

“I’ll be ready to run if I end up as the last man standing.”

“And Henry?” Eunhyuk questions the Resistance leader. “We’re not taking him along, are we? The kid just turned 21 years old.”

“Kyuhyun’s only 22,” Heechul points out, to which the other man shoots back, “At least Kyuhyun knows how to fire a gun.”

“We won’t bring Henry, alright? Everyone else is available. Eunhyuk, you can go first.”

“If it’s an infiltration, I need people from Shadow Squad. I’ll take Donghae and Kyuhyun.”

“Heechul?”

“From Boom Squad, I’ll take Sungmin. And Yesung, too, to keep it balanced.”

Kangin speaks up. “Siwon can come with me and Jungsoo.”

“That sounds fair,” the Resistance leader agrees. “Now the only person left is...Ryeowook, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Are you sure about bringing him with you?” Zhou Mi asks. 

“He’d be heartbroken if he didn’t get to see this to the end. Plus, I think there’s a team that could use an extra pair of eyes. Hyukjae, is it okay with you?”

“He won’t get hurt on my watch; I’ll make sure of it.”

Leeteuk lets out a deep breath. “It’s decided, then,” he says, meeting all of their eyes. “We’ll leave tomorrow morning. Now go get some rest.”

_ We’re going to need it. _

✯

Kyuhyun is lying on his bed reading when a knock sounds at the door.

“It’s open!” he calls, hardly bothering to look up, though that attitude does a complete 180 when he sees who it was. “Mi! Sungmin told me you were coming.”

Zhou Mi’s hesitant expression reverts back to his trademark smile. “You didn’t think I’d visit the Bunker but not come see  _ you _ , did you?”

He gets a content hum in response, along with Kyuhyun patting the empty space beside him. “Here, I saved you a spot.”

The mattress dips when Zhou Mi lays down by his side. Kyuhyun inches closer, and thankfully the other man gets the message and reaches out to hold him. While Kyuhyun is a sucker for cuddling, he’ll be damned if he ever admits it out loud.

“So, how’d the meeting go?” he asks, savoring the warmth that surrounds him like a blanket.

“Really well, I think. I’m sure Leeteuk will tell you all about it tomorrow.”

Kyuhyun prods him teasingly in the ribs. “You can’t even give me a sneak peek? Some boyfriend you are.”

He knows using the word is successful blackmail when he sees the look on Zhou Mi’s face, the one that only appears when he’s trying his best (and failing) to hold back a megawatt grin.

“Okay, I guess telling you a few things couldn’t hurt…”

_ 100 points for Cho Kyuhyun, ladies and gentlemen. _

“You’re on a team with Eunhyuk, Donghae, and Ryeowook,” Zhou Mi tells him. “The four of you are breaking into one of the prisons to free a huge group of prisoners.”

“Okay, that…” Kyuhyun trails off. ‘That sounds fine,’ he wants to say, but his brain finishes it with ‘that’s  _ tomorrow _ ,’ and the thought is so sudden that for a moment, he can’t breathe.

“Kui Xian?”

Surprising even himself, Kyuhyun says in a very small voice, “Mi, I’m...actually terrified of this mission.”

The other man runs comforting fingers through his hair. “It’s okay to be scared. That’s what makes us human,” he says, and he looks so honest and compassionate that Kyuhyun just has to lean forward to kiss him.

It’s different than the other times. Kyuhyun has given him a quick peck on the lips before, but nothing like this. Nothing makes his heart drop and feel like it’s in his throat at the same instant. Nothing that puts a fire in the pit of his stomach and curls his toes against the mattress. Nothing that has Kyuhyun finding himself wanting to drown in just the tiniest bit of Zhou Mi’s sunshine.

So drown he does, losing himself to open-mouthed kisses and gentle caresses until a hand stops his wandering fingers.  _ Too far _ , Kyuhyun realizes with what clarity he has left.

“Kui Xian, I don’t think…um…”

Zhou Mi doesn’t have to spell it out for Kyuhyun to get the message loud and clear:  _ not yet. _

He takes a deep breath, senses returning to him with each pounding beat of his heart. “I understand,” he murmurs softly. “Sorry I got carried away; it’s just…”  _ I really,  _ really _ like you, maybe even more, and it kills me that I might not ever seen your smile again. _

Zhou Mi pulls him impossibly closer, and Kyuhyun’s chest almost seems to ache with the weight of emotion resting there. If there was a way for him to physically give away his heart, he thinks, to place it in the other man’s hands for him to look after...he would. He’s never felt safer than he does in this moment, curled up against Zhou Mi’s warmth and fears chased away by nothing more than a sunshine smile.

✯

Ryeowook returns from a conversation with Leeteuk to find Henry taking up most of his bed, a sight that has become more and more common since the day the latter had started staying at the Bunker.

“Henry.”

“Mmmh?”

“Are you awake?”

A yawn sounds throughout the room. “Now I am.”

“Good. I have something to talk to you about.” Ryeowook slides in next to Henry, who sits up to make room for the other.

“What is it?”

“I just got back from talking with Leeteuk,” Ryeowook says. At Henry’s expectant look, he bites his lip. “The final plan for tomorrow is official. And Henry...you’re not coming along.”

The younger man goes rigid. “What?” he demands. “You’re leaving me behind?”

“Leeteuk says it’s for the best. He doesn’t want you getting hurt, since you haven’t been trained for something like this. It doesn’t mean we’re leaving you behind, okay? It means you’re joining Shindong in being our last line of defense.”

“But…” Henry’s face goes through a range of expressions before he settles on worry. “What about you?”

“I may not go on missions with the others, but that doesn’t mean I don’t go through the same training they do. I’ll be alright.”

The concern doesn’t leave Henry’s expression, but at least he seems to accept Leeteuk’s judgement, if reluctantly. “In that case, we should do something,” he says. “Like...I don’t know. Something that we can remember each other by tomorrow when we’re separated.”

“Like…?”

Henry puffs out his cheeks for a moment in thought, looking ridiculously cute, before he suddenly grabs a pen off the table and holds out his hand. “I know. Give me your arm.”

Ryeowook complies, and when he catches a glimpse of the mochi doodle that’s being drawn on the inside of his wrist, he can’t help but smile. Really, for all Henry’s attempts at a cool image, he’s utterly, endearingly  _ lame _ .

“And now,” Henry continues, “you have to draw something on me.”

Ryeowook shakes his head, but he can’t refuse. He takes the pen from the other’s expectant hand and traces an outline of a giraffe on the waiting wrist. The resulting smile that blooms on Henry’s face deserves to be framed in a museum somewhere.

He hopes it isn’t the last time he gets to see it.

✯

As the clock strikes 2 a.m., the majority of the Bunker’s inhabitants sleep through the changing hour without notice. But down the hallway, behind the first door on the right, two members are still far from Morpheus’s embrace.

Eunhyuk and Donghae are huddled underneath a mountain of blankets, the younger of the two sitting comfortably in between Eunhyuk’s legs, pressed up against his chest. Colors and shapes flash in front of them on a laptop screen as they watch the final minutes of some Disney movie. Or, rather, Donghae watches the movie, while Eunhyuk watches the other’s reactions in the reflective casing around the screen. Both of them hadn’t been able to fall asleep, and this is the best way they can think of to pass some of the empty early-morning hours.

The credits roll, signalling the end of the movie, and Donghae leans back against Eunhyuk with a shiver. “I’m cold,” he complains.

Eunhyuk snorts. “Maybe you should put some clothes on, then.”

“I would, if you hadn’t thrown them to the other side of the room.” The sleepy whine in Donghae’s voice is quite adorable.

“Then get up and grab them.”

“I can’t  _ walk _ , Hyukjae, no thanks to you.”

Eunhyuk presses his lips against the other man’s neck, muffling his laughter. “Sorry.”

For a little while longer, they relax in silence, listening to nothing but the steady beating of their hearts. Then Eunhyuk grows serious.

“So I’ve been thinking…” he says. “This might be one of the last times we get to see each other.” He must sound as tense as he feels, because Donghae’s hand comes to lightly rest of his knee. “And that got me thinking about how I want to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter how short it might be. Though somehow I’m guessing that doesn’t come as a surprise.”

Donghae hums happily in response.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is...would you want to make that official? In the eyes of the law? Because I’ve thought of every possible variation of my future, Donghae, and the one thing that never changes is you being in it.”

The younger man is quiet a moment before he speaks. “Why don’t you ask me that again  _ after _ we win.”

“Hae━”

“I know we might not make it that far. But if we’re going to do this, it’s going to be on our terms and not theirs.”

_ This might be the last time you get to hold him, Hyukjae. Don’t take it for granted _ .

Eunhyuk tightens his arms around the man in front of him, hiding his face in Donghae’s shoulder and trying to keep his emotions in check. He has to be strong; it won’t do Donghae any good to see him lose it.

But Donghae will have none of it. He turns around as much as he can and cups Eunhyuk’s face with a gentle hand. “It’s okay to cry, Hyukjae,” he says tenderly, and presses a kiss to the other’s lips.

And not for the first time, Eunhyuk believes that no force in the universe can tear them apart.

✯

The wind whips through Heechul’s hair, blowing it into his face, but he hardly notices. Chill and discomfort are nothing compared to the importance of being right here, on this night.

The memorial in front of him isn’t much, not even a proper tombstone, but this one hunk of rock with a single message carved across its front holds more meaning than any real grave ever could.

Footsteps sound behind him, right on time. “You remember the last time both of us were standing here, Donghee?” Heechul asks. He doesn’t get an answer, just hears the other man shift uncomfortably on his feet. “Don’t worry; I’m not going to start crying.”

They stand in silence for a few minutes longer before Heechul continues, “I had to come here one last time, considering we all might die tomorrow.” He shrugs his shoulders. “Oh well. At least maybe I’ll get the chance to see him again.”

“Heechul.” There’s a clear warning in the way the other man says his name.

“I’m not trying to throw my life away; stop giving me that look. I just meant that if the worst happens, maybe fate or whatever won’t be as shitty as it’s been for the past two years.”

Another few empty minutes of silence.

“Ready to head back?” Shindong asks him. “You’re going to get sick standing out here for so long.”

“Yeah, just give me a minute.”

Heechul kneels down in front of the stone, and speaks just softly enough that his voice is lost in the wind. “Kibum, Geng,” he says seriously, “I’ll kick some ass for you tomorrow, okay? So if you’re there, you’d better be watching. And if we fail…” His words grow tender. “Geng, please bring me back to you.”

He takes one last calming breath, and then follows behind Shindong as they start the return trek to the Bunker.

Behind him, the monument continues to stand vigil.

_ Kim Kibum and Han Geng: forever loved and remembered. _

_ You will always be our heroes. _


	10. Chapter 10

The ride Zhou Mi gives them to just inside the Capital is far too short. Kyuhyun thought it would have been a good time to reflect, but he hasn’t even gotten past the thought that this was the end, one way or another, before the journey is over. It’s almost like a dream when he steps out from his hiding place in the wagon.

But this is reality, and Kyuhyun needs to stay focused if the mission is going to have any hope of success.

Concealed by the shadows of the surrounding buildings, the rest of the smuggled Resistance members join Kyuhyun in subjecting themselves to the filthy air of the Capital. Without their usual facemasks, it’s harder to ignore, but there’s a reason for the lack of that particular accessory.

“By the end of the day,” Heechul tells them, “we’re either going to be heroes, or we’re going to be dead. Either way, let them see our faces.”

Leeteuk is the last to exit the wagon. It’s strange seeing the man in a different setting than the Bunker; he’d given up missions for strategizing long before Kyuhyun joined. But outfitted in his gear, and with practically an entire arsenal strapped across his body, Kyuhyun thinks he’s never looked more like a leader.

Zhou Mi stands by the wagon to make sure they all get out before he turns to the group with apologies written all over his face. “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer,” he says regretfully, “but I have to get moving before anyone gets suspicious.”

Leeteuk gives him a small smile. “You’ve already done more than we can repay you for, Zhou Mi. No apologies needed. We’ll meet you at the gate in an hour; if you’re still waiting after another hour passes...get as far away from the Capital as you can. Tell Shindong and Henry what happened.”

“I understand. I, um, guess I’ll get going.”

Kyuhyun meets Zhou Mi’s gaze as it flickers toward him nervously, as if the latter is unsure about how much of a public goodbye Kyuhyun is comfortable with.

_ Today would be a good day to stop acting like a coward, Cho. _

Before his rational mind can tell him otherwise, he surges forward to wrap himself around Zhou Mi, pressing his lips to the other man’s for a heated kiss ━ because, really, if this is Kyuhyun’s last opportunity to kiss him, he’s going to  _ kiss _ him. There’s a wolf-whistle or two from the crowd at his back, but they’re irrelevant compared to the way his heart beats erratically in his chest, nearly overwhelmed with the rush of emotion he feels for the man in front of him.

_ Ba-dum, Ba-dum, Ba-dum _ .

Zhou Mi doesn’t pull away completely. He tilts his head down so that he can murmur against Kyuhyun’s lips, a goodbye meant for only the two of them to share.

“Come back to me, Kui Xian.”

_ BadumBadumBadum _ .

Kyuhyun’s heart threatens to beat itself straight out of his chest. He thinks  _ I love you  _ and says “Stop worrying so much,” but the look on Zhou Mi’s face is a dead giveaway that he’s been understood regardless. Even when the caravan driver leaves, and Leeteuk gathers the members together for one last speech, Kyuhyun can’t forget the smile that’s like the sun breaking through the clouds.

Leeteuk gives a long look to the circle of strangers-turned-brothers that stand around him, seeming to ponder the right words to say.

“There’s no one else in the world I’d rather have fighting at my side,” he finally says. “That’s something that hasn’t changed for the past two years. And no matter what happens today, I want you to know how proud I am of every single one of you.” He takes a deep breath, pulling himself together. “Now let’s go make our sacrifices worth it. On my count: one, two, three!”

A chorus of voices join together to shout their battle cry.

“KILL THEM ALL!”

✯

Yesung isn’t going to lie; even after all this time, he’s still intimidated by Heechul. Especially when said man is currently looking out over the Capital from the group’s rooftop position as though he’d like nothing better than to burn the whole city to the ground. It doesn’t help that on his other side, Sungmin is tossing a detonator back and forth between his hands, waiting only for Heechul’s cue.

When the time comes, all Hell is going to break loose.

“Well, boys,” Heechul says, breaking the tense silence. “It’s been a great ride. Let’s do our job, and if all else fails...let’s try to at least get ourselves in the news.”

Not half a minute later, his hand goes to his headset. “Got it,” he replies to the message only he can hear, and turns his attention back to the men by his side. “That’s our cue. Sungmin?”

To the others’ surprise, the Boom Squad member doesn’t hit the button. Instead, he offers the detonator to Yesung with a smile. “Would you like to do the honors?”

“What? I, um...yes, of course.”

Yesung takes the remote-sized object with shaking hands. After standing in the background for so long, trying to help whenever he could, he’s about to be the catalyst for revolution. If Yesung can do this, he can do anything.

_ If I make it out of this alive, I’m not going to hide anymore. _

His finger traces the edge of the detonator, still hesitant, but then he remembers Kibum and Han Geng’s excited faces the eve before what would become their final mission.

He presses the button.

✯

_ Whatever you do, don’t let Leeteuk down. _

This is the thought that sticks out most prominently in the forefront of Eunhyuk’s brain as he waits for his signal. The mission relies on everyone’s success, yes, but if his own team fails, it won’t just mean the plan won’t work out; it means they’ll be running away from the Capital’s entire defense force with nothing else to draw the Mayor’s eye away from them. Not to mention the other task that Leeteuk has entrusted him with…

“Kyuhyun,” Eunhyuk whispers to the younger man. “I need you to stick with Ryeowook. I’ll do my best to keep him safe, but there’s only so much I can do while coordinating everyone else.”

“Of course.” They share a look, and while Eunhyuk doesn’t say it aloud, he’s sure the other man understands: Kyuhyun has earned his trust.

A boom thunders in the distance, and Eunhyuk feels his adrenaline start to kick in. Still, he waits. Any moment now, the police patrolling the prison camp should leave to defend the government headquarters. Only the Drones should remain, and then the real action will begin.

Briefly, a hand squeezes how own, and he doesn’t need to look to know who it is. The simple touch works wonders: the nervous pounding of his heart slows to a steady, focused beat.

_ Thank you, Donghae. _

It’s less than a minute before, just as predicted, a stream of Capital forces flood out of the main gates.

“Follow my lead.”

Eunhyuk steps out onto the protruding ledge of the building, carefully slinking along the wall toward the prison. If he had read the blueprints correctly, they should be able to follow the precarious route over the gates and get down on the other side ━ as long as the other watchtowers are unmanned in the midst of the chaos Heechul’s team has created.

For once, they’re lucky.

One by one, they drop the short distance down to the ground and conceal themselves in the long shadows cast by the watchtowers. There’s no one in sight, but Eunhyuk isn’t surprised; it wouldn’t make sense to keep people imprisoned so close to an exit. He signals to the rest of the team, and they move silently into the deeper recesses of the facility.

The moment Kyuhyun hacks them through the next door, Eunhyuk is greeted with the terrified expressions of five girls who can’t have been older than thirteen.

_ Shit, were they going to turn these five into Drones at this age? Or keep them locked up until they’re adults? It’s even worse than I thought. _

“We’re sorry, sir!” one of the girls squeaks. “We weren’t trying to escape, but our door was left unlocked and━”

“Be  _ quiet _ , Seungwan!” another of the girls cuts in. “What she meant to say was that we got lost on our way back from the mess hall. It won’t happen again; I promise.”

Donghae steps forward, thankfully taking over. Even just his smile seems to calm the group. “What’s your name?” he asks the girl who’d spoken last.

“Kang Seulgi, sir.”

“There’s no need to be afraid, Seulgi. We’re not policemen; we’re with the Resistance.”

Seulgi’s eyes go almost comically wide. “You actually came? We’ve heard the stories, but...let me take you to Mister Kim. He’s the one we all listen to.

They’ve found their ticket into the prisoners’ good graces, it seems. Eunhyuk gratefully accepts Seulgi’s offer, and he follows her group through the gloomy hallways. As they walk, it infuriates him to see the pristine state of the building. The government has clearly spent more resources fortifying a place to hold their citizens captive than giving them much-needed aid.

Seulgi walks through another entrance, and the hallway gives way to a different space entirely. Suddenly there are eyes trained on them from all directions. Prisoners ━more than Eunhyuk can count━ look at the newcomers like they’re not sure whether to be hopeful or fearful.

“Mister Kim, the Resistance is here!” Seulgi announces.

A young man in the middle of the room stands up, brushing back a fringe of jet-black hair from his face. “Kim Jonghyun,” he says by way of introduction. He’s younger (and shorter) than Eunhyuk expected, but it’s clear from the way the other prisoners look at him that he’s earned their respect.

“Lee Hyukjae,” Eunhyuk introduces himself in turn, giving his real name as a show of trust. “Like Seulgi said, we’re with the Resistance.”

Jonghyun gives the Resistance members a brief once-over. He seems to be satisfied, because rather than questioning their claim, he asks, “How did you manage to get inside? Don’t get me wrong; I’m glad you’re here. I just find it hard to believe the Drones would let you walk right past them.”

“A distraction. One of our teams blew up Mayor Park’s monument so we could sneak in under their noses, and so far everything’s going to plan.”

“ In that case, we owe you our thanks. But something tells me you’re looking for a favor from us. I can see you trying to think of how to ask.”

_ Observant and straight to the point. I like him. _

“There  _ is _ one thing we need your help with,” Eunhyuk admits. “Actually, our mission depends on it.”

“I’m all ears.” Jonghyun looks wary, but far from opposed to helping. Selling the plan won’t be impossible if Eunhyuk does it correctly.

He cuts right to the chase. “A third team is uploading a broadcast we created at the comm center, which will hopefully be the beginning of the Mayor’s end. We need you to draw the Capital citizens out to watch the broadcast, tell them about how you were locked up here waiting to be turned into mindless husks. And beyond that...if you rush the government headquarters while we draw the Drones away, it could make a huge difference. Somewhere inside, there should be the control station for the Drones. Disable that, and it would cripple the Capital’s defenses.”

Jonghyun bites his lip. “It...seems like a long shot,” he says doubtfully. “But it’s still better than any plan we’ve had before. Here’s a question: what do you expect us to do against the police guarding the Mayor? We don’t have any weapons.”

“With your numbers, you should be able to overwhelm them, even without being armed. But there’s going to be plenty of weapons on the way out of here; the Drones will have recovered from the chaos by now, and we won’t put their guns to waste.”

For a long moment, Jonghyun locks gazes with the skinny boy sitting at his side, seeming to have a silent conversation with the other. Then he turns back to Eunhyuk. “We’ll do it,” he says, “But on one condition.”

“I’ll do my best.”

The smirk on Jonghyun’s face look absolutely lethal. “You have to let us teach these monsters who kept us here a lesson they won’t forget.”

✯

The communications hub is housed in a tall spire near the center of the Capital. On a normal day, there would be a steady trickle of government workers coming and going through its doors, but this is no ordinary day. The moment the explosion sounds nearby, shaking the ground the building stands on, all semblance of normalcy ceases. Police swarm from behind the set of double-doors, and Siwon sends one last thought out to the universe.

_ God, please give us strength to help these people. _

“They’ve done it,” Leeteuk says. “Security should be as minimal as we’re going to get; let’s go.”

“Wait.” Kangin holds up a hand. “Are those reinforcements at our three o’clock?”

Siwon turns in that direction, but he sees nothing of the sort. “Are you sure you meant three o’clock?” he asks, turning back around.

He’s just in time to see Kangin disappearing through the double-doors. Alone.

“Damn it,” Leeteuk hisses beside him. The Resistance leader bolts out of their hiding place in Kangin’s footsteps, but when he tugs at the door handles, they won’t budge. Siwon is at his side just as he begins to pound on the metal, calling, “Open the doors, Youngwoon!”

“He still has his headset,” Siwon reminds him. “Get in contact with him.” The words come out sounding much more calm than he feels, but calm is what Leeteuk needs right now. Calm to counteract his building hysteria.

The Resistance leader’s shaking hands fumble with his earpiece for a moment before he yells into the mic for Kangin’s attention. Siwon knows he’s gotten it when his expression suddenly shifts. “You don’t have to do this, Youngwoon,” Leeteuk says earnestly. “You don’t have to martyr yourself to be a hero. Just...what? No, that’s not…”

He spares Siwon a brief glance before he says, “I know you were the one who forgot to seal the Bunker, okay? Heechul saw it written all over your face, but instead of telling everyone, he redirected their focus. Because just like me, he knows it was an accident. You can’t keep carrying around the burden of your own mistakes, Youngwoon. And you know who it was that made me believe that? You.”

Pride swells in Siwon’s chest at Leeteuk’s words. It comforts him to see that the other man is finally beginning to find peace. The thought, however, is eclipsed by the silence that follows the speech. Has Kangin listened? Is it too late?

Leeteuk’s voice grows gentle. “Of course I still do,” he says to the question only he can hear. “Please, if you won’t do it for yourself, do it for me. I’m begging you, Youngwoon; you have to walk out of that building.”

One two, too many beats of silence, and the Resistance leader turns to Siwon with anguish written all over his face. “He’s not answering.”

Siwon feels his stomach drop, but tries not to show it. “Have some faith in him. There’s nothing else we can do.”

For a few minutes, even the air itself seems to hold its breath. A brief whisper of a prayer falls from Siwon’s lips, but otherwise the near-suffocating silence remains undisturbed.

_ Kangin, my friend, perhaps you can find your peace in the afterlife...I wish I could have done more to help you while I had the chance. _

“Jungsoo...I don’t think he’s coming back.”

“No,” Leeteuk insists, shaking his head furiously. “No, I can’t lose him, too.”

“It was his choice. Don’t━”

The doors open, and Kangin stumbles out, bruised and battered but very much alive.

A relieved sob bursts from Leeteuk’s mouth, and in the blink of an eye, he has his arms around the other man. “You  _ idiot _ ,” he says through his tears.

And all around them, projected onto every building’s walls, a recording begins to play. Shindong’s voice cuts through the muted noise of the city.

“Citizens of the Capital, we are the Resistance. And we have a message for you.”

✯

The hallway outside of the prisoners’ quarters is not as empty as when the Resistance had broken in. Far from it; additional Drones must have been sent in place of the policemen who’d left, because the moment Kyuhyun steps out after Eunhyuk and Jonghyun, a swarm descends upon them.

Jonghyun cocks his gun ━a gift from the Shadow Squad leader━ and calls back to the prisoners. “For our freedom!”

Kyuhyun struggles to keep his footing as the group nearly 200 strong charges out of the doorway behind him and throw themselves into the fray. It’s almost awe-inspiring to see the tidal wave of ferocious punches and kicks that descend up on the Drones ━ perhaps not killing them, but leaving them far beyond the point of incapacitation.

Still, the prisoners’ courage doesn’t change the fact that the Drones are armed with weapons more lethal than any fist. Gunfire plows into the encroaching horde, and Kyuhyun resists the urge to clap his hands over his ears to silence the screams that follow. Coupled with the shrill battle cries, the confrontation sounds like something ripped straight out of a nightmare.

Right in front of him, a woman launches herself onto one of the Drones, locking her arms around its neck with a brutal intensity. The gun is knocked out of the Drone’s hand, and Kyuhyun moves to fire at a different target before he catches sight of another Drone with its gun trained on the occupied woman. A cry of warning rises to his lips, but he hasn’t needed to worry after all; a hole appears directly between the Drones’ eyess. Jonghyun stands a short distance away, holding a still-smoking gun.

“Nice try, you bastard!” Kyuhyun hears him yell over the sounds of battle, and in seconds he’s back to taking down his opponents with a finesse even Eunhyuk was probably jealous of. The Resistance members may have been the catalyst for the jailbreak, but Jonghyun and the prisoners are the real heroes.

After a particularly satisfying headshot, the sound of a door banging open fills the space, and it takes Kyuhyun a few seconds to register its significance ━ he can  _ hear _ it. No banshee-like screams, no rattling of gunfire. Just that one  _ bang! _ before the prisoners stream through to the outside of the compound, along with the scattered noises of a handful of last skirmishes.

Jonghyun and Eunhyuk are right behind the group, Kyuhyun following in their wake (and refusing to look at the bodies he has to step over). By the time they’re outside, their assistance is hardly needed. It hasn’t come without a price, but the oppressors have finally become the overthrown.

“We actually did it,” Eunhyuk says, amazed. “I thought it was possible, but…”

The expression on Jonghyun’s face is hard to read. The headcount he seems to take brings a pained look to his gaze, but he sounds sure of himself when he says, “I’m proud of them. I almost wish we’d have staged an escape much earlier, if it was possible this whole time.”

“You still wouldn’t have had anywhere to go, even if you’d have been successful. It’s probably for the best that...Kyuhyun, are you okay?”

The Shadow Squad member in question is rooted to the spot, staring in horror at a pair of unconscious bodies on the ground. They’re Drones, yes, but not with the same unremarkable features he’s used to. Kyuhyun would recognize these two faces even on his deathbed.

“Those are my parents,” he says in a whisper, pointing a shaking finger. “Oh god, those are my  _ parents. _ ”

He sees Ryeowook’s hand clap over his mouth in matching horror, seeing the other man turn away. He hears Eunhyuk tell Jonghyun to go ahead with the prisoners, to not forget their mission. And he feels Donghae’s strong arms wrap around him in wordless comfort, trying to provide some sense of security,

But how is Kyuhyun supposed to feel comforted when the two people who loved him and raised him for more than 20 years have been turned into monsters? They deserve so much better than  _ this _ .

“ _ Ssh _ , don’t cry, Kyuhyun,” Donghae murmurs in his ear, and Kyuhyun is about to object when he suddenly becomes aware of the wetness on his face.

It’s the first time he’s cried since his mother and father had been ripped away from him on that awful day over a year ago. He never would have admitted it, but ever since, he’s kept that spark of hope tucked away in the back of his mind ━ the small chance that they were somewhere safe, waiting for him to return. In an instant, that hope is snatched away, and now his pain refuses to be contained. It claws its way out of him in heaving sobs and makes him feel sick to his stomach.

Donghae doesn’t let go, even when the nausea peaks and Kyuhyun empties his stomach’s contents onto the ground. He holds Kyuhyun’s hair away from his face, turning the younger man away from the scene. “You’ll be okay. I’ve got you.”

Behind them, Eunhyuk fires two shots.

“I’m sorry, Kyuhyun,” the Shadow Squad leader says softly, “but we need to keep moving.”

_ They can rest in peace now _ , Kyuhyun tries to tell himself.  _ They don’t have to be in pain anymore. This is a good thing. _

He throws up again.

And even from within the prison’s towering walls, he can hear the broadcast begin to play.

✯

Heechul feels adrenaline pumping through his veins as he sprints, keeping him moving forward even when his lungs and legs scream in protest. Yesung and Sungmin match his pace, and they stay right beside him in their race to the city gates. They’d seen the broadcast light up the Capital; Kangin’s team had been successful. Any minute now, they should meet up.

_ Speak of the devil… _

Leeteuk, Kangin, and Siwon race out of an alleyway just in front of them. The Resistance leader looks shaken, but they’re thankfully all in one piece.

“Jungsoo!” Heechul calls. “Over here!” and when their eyes meet, the two groups seamlessly merge into one, still running hard.

“Have you seen Hyukjae’s team?” Leeteuk asks between breaths.

“Not yet. It shouldn’t be too long now, given━ Wait, there they are.”

Eunhyuk sees them first. He dashes to their position with the others right behind him ( _ Did he have to be born with fucking gazelle legs? _ Heechul thinks with more than a touch of jealousy), but Heechul is more focused on Kyuhyun, who looks more than anything like he could use a hug.

“Kyu, are you━?”

“There are Drones right behind us,” Eunhyuk interrupts, giving him a ‘don’t talk about it’ look. “We need to hurry before we get cut off.”

“How many?” Leeteuk asks.

“All of them.”

_ Fuck. _

“Please tell me you’re exaggerating.”

“I wish I was. The police are forming a barricade around the government building, since they’re the only ones the Mayor trusts with his safety. That leaves the whole hoard of Drones for them to put on our tails.”

Heechul doesn’t think he can run any faster, but that does the trick.

_ Almost there. If we can just stay out of sight a little longer━ _

“There’s a barricade up ahead!” Yesung calls.

Leeteuk swears under his breath. “No way we’re getting through that. Heechul, is there another route?”

“Side street to our left. It comes out at the same distance to the gates.”

The group changes course, and Heechul just starts to think they’re home free when he has to pull up short, nearly causing Ryeowook to careen into his back. There’s a wall of reinforced barbed wire in front of them, cutting off their path. A dead end.

Heechul whirls around to the Boom Squad leader. “Any way to knock it down?”

“I can try.” Kangin quickly unholsters his rifle, jamming the butt of it into the barricade. Several hits later, the metal wires still hold, and he’s forced to give up with a frustrated grunt. “It’s too sturdy,” he says, turning back to Heechul with an apologetic shake of his head.

“There has to be another way,” Eunhyuk insists. “Let’s double-back to the main road and then━”

“Get down!” Siwon yells.

Heechul drops to his knees as fast as he could. Not a second later, a round of bullets rips through the air above him, just missing his head.

There’s a loud crash, and suddenly Leeteuk is yelling, “Get inside the warehouse! Move, move!” More shots ring out down the street, and Heechul bolts to the door that the Resistance leader has just kicked in. He can sense the others right on his heels.

His feet carry him through the doorway unharmed, and he can breathe again. That recovery time, however, turns out to be only a few precious seconds before Leeteuk is giving out orders more decisively than he ever has.

“Boom Squad, set up a barricade with these steel crates. Shadow Squad and Ryeowook, block the entrance. Heechul, I need to talk to you for a minute. We don’t have much time, so hurry!”

The teams start splitting up even before the instructions are finished. Curious, Heechul goes to Leeteuk’s side, only to be led further away from the other members. What’s so important that it can’t be said in front of anyone else?

“I have something for you,” Leeteuk tells him in a low voice. He draws something out of his arsenal and places it in Heechul’s palm, who immediately doesn’t like where the conversation is going.

“I’m guessing this grenade isn’t just to lob at the Drones before they get inside,” Heechul says warily. “The amount of firepower packaged into this thing is almost ridiculous.”

“No, it’s a last resort. In a minute, they’ll be swarming through the door, no matter how much we try to seal it. And if we know we’re not going to make it…”

“We’ll take them all down with us,” Heechul finishes for him with a shudder. A building collapse would certainly solve the Drone problem...but the Resistance would never make it out alive.

Leeteuk looks at him helplessly. “Like I said, a last resort. I honestly don’t know what else we can do besides do our best to shoot them down. But I can’t make the call, Heechul. I just can’t. That’s why, if you’ll accept it, I’m putting the decision in your hands.”

The smile Heechul gives him feels crooked and forced. “What are best friends for, right?”

“Thank you.” Leeteuk’s bottom lip just noticeably trembles, but otherwise he looks ready to take on the world. “Not just for this; for everything.”

“You don’t have to treat this like a goodbye, you idiot. There’s still ass to kick and battles to win.”

He’s about to get a response, but Eunhyuk calls from the other side of the room, “The entrance is blocked!”

“And the barricade is as good as it’s going to get.” Kangin adds.

Heechul hastily clips the grenade in his hand to the belt around his waist, covering it with the hem of his shirt. The drop in morale if the others knew about the backup plan...it wouldn’t be pretty. He and Leeteuk join the others behind the hastily-made barricade.

_ We’re wedged between two floor-to-ceiling shelves, so they shouldn’t be able to flank us _ , Heechul notes.  _ As long as they don’t get close enough to kick away or fire over the crates...we might have a shot. _

That’s the last thought he has time for before the stack of boxes in front of the doorframe is suddenly riddled with bullet holes.

“Boom Squad,” Leeteuk commands, “have your guns ready to fire. Eunhyuk, Yesung, Donghae, you’ll be on firing duty while the other three are reloading. Ryeowook and Kyuhyun, you two stay back and have the med kit ready. Heechul, you make sure they stay covered. I’ll keep the weapons distributed and the ammo flowing.”

He’s just finished the last word when the Drones burst through the entrance in a cloud of smoke and gunfire. Heechul gets down to the ground immediately, scrambling back from the barricade on his hands and knees. Kyuhyun and Ryeowook crawl to the spot just behind him, and for the time being, all they can do is observe ━ and wait.

Not that there’s much to see of the battle itself. Heechul doesn’t have a view of the Drones’ assault, but he can hear the constant crackle of offensive and returning gunshots. What he  _ can _ watch is the way that Leeteuk’s strategy works like a well-oiled machine: three members mow down their enemies while the other three load up another set of rounds, switching off effortlessly while the Resistance leader shouts orders over the chaos.

The machine runs perfectly until one of its cogs is knocked out of place. Sungmin lets out a cry, dropping his gun and clutching his shoulder tightly.

“I need someone to take Sungmin’s place!” Leeteuk yells.

Heechul’s hand shoots up. “I can━”

“Kyuhyun, grab a gun.”

The Strategist looks quizzically at the other man for a moment before he realizes what’s going on: Leeteuk won’t let him on the front lines as long as he has the grenade in his possession ━ he’s the only one who’s been entrusted with this decision, and he can’t exactly make the call if he’s injured. Or dead.

Kyuhyun moves quickly to fill the empty spot, while Heechul helps Ryeowook move Sungmin away from the line of fire. Another pained yelp leaves the latter’s lips as his arm shifts, but he’s still brought to safety. Ryeowook fishes the med kit of of his pack and begins his inspection.

“Is it bad?” Sungmin asks, hissing as the medic’s fingers prod at injured flesh.

“It could be worse. The bullet took out a chunk of skin, but it didn’t go through your arm or get lodged inside. If we can keep the bleeding contained, you’ll be fine.”

Sungmin nods his understanding, though his face scrunches up in pain when a bandage is placed over the wound.

“Keep pressure on it,” Ryeowook instructs Heechul. “I’ll wrap this around a few times until it’s secure.”

Medical expertise isn’t exactly a field Heechul is strong in, but at least these are instructions even he can follow. Blocking out Sungmin’s whimpering, he keeps his hands placed firmly over the bandage. Blossoms of red saturate the cloth, but Ryeowook still insists that it’s okay, and Heechul has no reason to doubt his judgement.

He’s just glad the bullet hadn’t found its way to Sungmin’s heart, instead.

Heechul, throw me your gun!” Leeteuk yells, and the Strategist gladly complies. He turns his attention away from Ryeowook’s ministrations to check how the showdown is progressing, and what he sees makes his stomach sink. It isn’t that the Drones are outgunning them; he can’t see any of their enemies from his spot on the ground, and the members are firing away at the same breakneck pace.

They’re running out of ammunition.

Hey, Siwon!” Heechul calls to the man currently reloading his gun. “How confident are you about all that heaven stuff?”

“I would bet my life on it.”

_ Good, because that’s probably what it’s coming to _ . “Let’s hope you’re right. Jungsoo, how many more are there?”

The resigned look in the Resistance leader’s eyes tells him everything he needs to know.

“I need another gun!” It’s Eunhyuk’s voice shouting over the sounds of the battle this time. Heechul can see Leeteuk brace himself before he turns away to deliver the news.

“There’s nothing left to fire, Hyukjae.”

“What are you━? Sudden realization seems to smack Eunhyuk across the face. “ _ Oh _ .”

He backs away from the barricade to let Kangin take his place, and is soon joined by more members as the supply of bullets dwindles. Kyuhyun, Siwon, Donghae, Yesung ━ one by one, they come up empty when they go to reload.

Kangin is the last to run out. He keeps up his streak of deadly-accurate blasts until, finally, he suffers the same fate as the others.

“If anyone has any last goodbyes,” Leeteuk says steadily. “Say them now. I’m afraid this is it.” His voice is a beacon of calm, even in the midst of an army of footsteps marching through the door in frightening synchronization. But that’s Leeteuk, isn’t it? A leader to the end.

_ Here goes nothing, I guess. _

Heechul unclips the grenade from his belt with a faint  _ click. _ Since when have his hands started shaking? They can hardly keep a grip on the palm-sized explosive, much less aim correctly.

_ Calm down. Even Jungsoo’s keeping a cool head, and here you are losing your confidence when you’re needed the most. If you mess this up, the sacrifice won’t mean a thing. _

The marching draws closer.

He allows himself to take one last look at Kangin helping Leeteuk cover Kyuhyun, the Resistance leader still doing his best to protect the newest member like he hadn’t been able to do for Kibum. One last look at Ryeowook and Yesung huddled by Sungmin, and Siwon crouching protectively in front of all three of them, murmuring prayers even faster than the earlier  _ rat-a-tat _ of bullets ripping through the air. One last look at Eunhyuk and Donghae sitting with their foreheads pressed together and their eyes locked, blocking out the rest of the world.

Heechul is doing this for all of them.

There are a few questioning looks thrown his way as he moves to press his back against the barricade, but Leeteuk’s is the one he focuses on. There are no questions in that gaze, only gratitude...and a farewell.

And it will be a real farewell for Heechul, but not in the way Leeteuk had planned. No, he had one last middle finger to hold up high for Mayor Park. One last call of defiance to shout from the rooftops and echo down the city streets.

Because Heechul isn’t going to let this warehouse become the Resistance’s tomb; he’s going to become the grenade. And when he brings as many Drones as he can screaming into the void with him, he’ll be giving his comrades ━his  _ family _ ━ a chance to escape. No way in hell were any of them dying on his watch.

_ I hope you were listening last night, Geng, because now’s when I need you. _

Before he can second-guess himself, he charges.

The sight of more Drones than he’s ever seen pouring through the door is nearly enough to paralyze him, but not now, not when so many lives are in his hands.

At least thirty guns train their sights on him, but still he runs ━ runs right at the heart of the group with the pin of the grenade between his teeth and the ghosts of the lost at his back. A feral snarl issues from his lips, sounding more animal than human, and he leaps into the arms of fate. Dives into the waiting Drones and pulls the pin.

Only to see them freeze and fall to the ground like broken toys.

Heechul lands on one of the unmoving bodies with a crash, getting the air knocked out of his lungs. Wildly, he throws the explosive in his grasp out the doorway, and he just starts to brace himself when it goes off with an earth-shaking, eardrum-bursting explosion.

His world flashes white. The front windows to the building shatter, and a scream is ripped from his throat as glass rains down on him in deadly snowflakes. A blackout nearly offers him some respite, but ends up leaving him teetering on the edge of consciousness, forced to endure the pain that courses through his body like fire.

Footsteps sound near Heechul’s head, along with voices that he can’t make out. Strong hands lift him up off the ground, and he doesn’t last two seconds before darkness swallows him up.


	11. Chapter 11

When Heechul comes to, he immediately knows he’s not in the warehouse. The ground underneath his back is too soft and...lumpy?

Slowly, his eyelids flutter open. Blobs of colors and shapes gradually come into focus until he can make out his surroundings. He’s back in Zhou Mi’s wagon ━ thankfully not hiding underneath a heap of cargo ━ with his legs laying across Kangin’s lap and his head propped up on one of Leeteuk’s thighs. His eyes sweep across the rest of the wagon, meeting Donghae’s surprised face.

“He’s awake,” Donghae says, and the faint buzz of conversation ceases.

“Heechul!” Leeteuk’s fingers fuss around the Strategist’s face, brushing his bangs back and checking his pulse. “Try not to move too much. Ryeowook did his best to bandage you up, but with the glass…”

Processing the words is a slower undertaking than usual ━ his body is probably more concerned with holding itself together than making sense of conversation ━ but it’s a successful one nonetheless. Heechul asks the first question that comes to his mind.

“So...we’re heading back to the Bunker?”

“The nearest Cluster,” Zhou Mi corrects from the front of the wagon. “Sungmin and especially you need medical attention as fast as you can get it.”

Heechul hums to show he understands, but otherwise remains silent, trying to wrap his head around the past few hours. How had they managed to all come out of the mission (mostly) unscathed? And the biggest question of all:

“What the hell happened back there?”

Eunhyuk’s voice comes from the back corner. “Looks like the prisoners were able to get past the police and shut down the Drones’ controls inside the government building. I didn’t think they’d actually do it, but I guess Jonghyun was true to his word.”

“Good timing, too.” Heechul is just about to shut his eyes and rest for the remainder of the trip, but to his surprise, Kangin is looking at him like he has something to say. “What?”

“Nothing, it’s just...You were really planning on taking all the glory for yourself, huh?” For just a moment, Heechul sees some Kangin’s old self again. Giving the other man a tired grin, he shoots back, “You’re one to talk.”

He doesn’t think twice about shifting his legs to a more comfortable position, sending a lightning bolt of pain shooting through his body. Heechul has to turn his head toward Leeteuk’s stomach to hide the look of agony on his face. Thankfully, the Resistance leader’s fingers card gently through his hair, doing wonders to distract him.

The soothing rhythm lulls him back to sleep in minutes.

✯

Sungmin stands even before the wagon comes to a stop in front of the medical facility, helping to carefully maneuver Heechul back into Kangin’s bridal-style hold. The wound on his left arm still throbs, but he’ll be damned if he chooses now to stop caring for the Strategist (a task that always seems to be more than he signed up for). 

It must be quite a sight for the receptionist when their group walks in through the door. Her shocked face when Leeteuk all but runs up to the front desk is priceless. In no time, there are two other doctors leading Kangin and Sungmin to one of the rooms in the back while Leeteuk stays behind to work out the details of their visit.

Heechul choses the moment they lay his body on the hospital bed to wake up. He shrieks bloody murder when Kangin straightens his legs, and only a shot of morphine from one of the doctors brings peace and quiet back to the small space (which is to say that it knocks Heechul out entirely).

Leeteuk steps in with them a few minutes later. “I got everything sorted out with the receptionist,” he tells them. “There’s not a policy for our situation, but they’ve agreed to let me stay and watch over Heechul.”

Sungmin doesn’t know how the Resistance leader had managed to pull it off, but he’s impressed. “Keep him safe,” he says to Leeteuk, and with a brief goodbye, he and Kangin start the walk back to the lobby.

They’re halfway down the hall when Kangin breaks the silence. “Sungmin...I want to apologize for losing my temper earlier,” he says, sounding sincerely apologetic.

“No, you don’t have to; I was out of line, even if I was angry.”

“You  _ were _ harsh, but you still hit a lot of my problems right on the head. I’m going to work on fixing them now, though, and I wanted to start by clearing the air.”

Sungmin gives him a genuine smile. “In that case, let’s start over. Hi, I’m Lee Sungmin, exemplary Boom Squad member and everyone’s all-around favorite.”

The laugh Kangin lets out throws Sungmin for a loop ━ it’s a sound he hasn’t heard in ages. “Hi, I’m Kim Youngwoon, wannabe-hero Boom Squad leader and ten-time arm wrestling champion among our members.”

The air begins to clear.

When they walk back into the lobby, expectant eyes immediately hone in on them.

“How is he?” Donghae asks.

“Knocked out cold,” is Sungmin’s immediate reply. He means for it to be humorous, but the growing concern on Donghae’s face leads him to clarify, “The doctors put him on morphine so he can rest while his body recovers. He should be fine after they take the rest of the glass out.”

_ And speaking of the surgery… _

“How exactly are we paying for this? All of my cash is still back at the Bunker with the others.”

Zhou Mi’s hand shoots up. “I can make a quick trip back, if you want. I’ll bring Shindong, Henry, and enough money to cover the surgery...and for you to get yourself checked out, too, Sungmin.”

Right. Sungmin had been so worried about Heechul, he’d completely forgotten that he’d been shot.

“I’ll go with you,” Kyuhyun says, finally speaking up. The youngest among them hasn’t been himself since the teams had regrouped, and Sungmin still doesn’t like the haunted look in his eyes. Something must have happened at the prison; what it might have been, Sungmin has no idea, but a few hours to take a break (and talk with Zhou Mi) will hopefully put Kyuhyun’s mind at ease.

Eunhyuk nods his approval. “I think that’s for the best. Any news from the Capital can reach us faster if we’re here instead of at the Bunker. Thanks, Zhou Mi.”

“It’s no problem. You’ll wait until we get back to have any important discussions, though, won’t you?”

“Of course.”

They have a lot to talk about.

✯

The creaking of wagon wheels is the only sound on the journey back to the Bunker, save for the occasional breeze that ruffles Kyuhyun’s hair. In theory, it would be easy to talk to Zhou Mi: Kyuhyun is squished in next to him in the front seat of the wagon. But for some reason, the words won’t come out, and he instead occupies the time by awkwardly twiddling his thumbs and casting the occasional glance at the horizon.

“Do you, um...want to talk?” Zhou Mi finally asks. Half an hour has gone by already, and the silence has gone from comfortable to glaringly out-of-place.

Kyuhyun’s eyes flicker to meet the other man’s gaze before they dart back to the scenery outside the wagon. “I do,” he admits. “I just don’t know what to say.”

“Maybe start by telling me what happened? It’s okay if you don’t want to, but it might help.”

The facts. Kyuhyun can do that; it’s far easier than trying to sort through his tangled mess of feelings.

“We had just finished liberating the prisoners,” he says, apprehension stifling his voice until it’s hardly more than a soft murmur. “We were just starting celebrate our victory, but that’s when I saw them. My parents.” He feels Zhou Mi tense beside him, and has to fight against the lump that swells in his own throat. “They weren’t dead, Mi; it was so much worse. They were just lying there, but their faces...their faces were…” With a shaking intake of breath, he breaks off, unwilling to go on.

“Oh, Kui Xian…” Zhou Mi moves to put a comforting arm around him, but hesitates at the last moment, seemingly unsure of whether or not Kyuhyun wants to be touched.

But there’s no one else here to see Kyuhyun’s moment of weakness, and he feels no shame in briefly leaning into the other man’s touch before forcing himself to continue, “They’re gone now. Really gone. And it’s not like I should have expected them to be alright after so long, but...I almost wish I’d never seen them. I’d rather live with some delusion my whole life than have to see  _ that _ .”

_ You selfish, selfish boy, _ a voice in Kyuhyun’s head accuses him.  _ Complaining that they didn't die how and where you wanted. What gives you the right? You ungrateful little━ _

“Stop it, Kui Xian,” Zhou Mi says gently, interrupting those dark thoughts, and Kyuhyun has a brief moment of wondering if the other man has somehow read his mind before he adds, “It’s written all over your face that you’re beating yourself up. Don’t apologize for anything you’re feeling.”

Kyuhyun doesn’t have a response to that; it’s not as if he can just turn his self-loathing off like a lightswitch, no matter how genuine the other man is trying to be. So instead, he says, “The thing is...I really don’t want to think about it, but it’s the only thing I can’t stop thinking about.”

“I hate to be the one to say this, but avoiding thinking about it is going to do the exact opposite of helping.”

“So what are you suggesting I do? Pull a Heechul? Lock myself in a room and cry for two weeks?”

“ _ Kyuhyun _ .” The sharp way Zhou Mi says his name halts the younger man’s building irritation.

“That was too far; I’m sorry. And I get what you’re trying to say. Think about them one last time, feel everything at once, and then let them go. But…”

“But you can’t think about them without breaking down.”

“Yeah,” Kyuhyun admits in a mutter. When had he gone from snarky and sarcastic to an emotional wreck? He hardly even recognizes himself anymore.

“Well…” Zhou Mi focuses intently on the horizon for a few moments, seeming to organize his thoughts. “How about this: what you saw...those things weren’t your parents, just creatures wearing their faces. The memories you still have of your family are the ones you should focus on. And at the very least...this can give you some sort of closure. You don’t have to constantly be worrying that there’s something you could be doing to get them. They lived their lives, they raised an incredible son, and then it was their time to pass.”

Zhou Mi gestures wildly with his hands, just as he always does when he’s passionate about something. “And while it might not seem like it, their deaths were honorable. They helped people understand the evil at the root of the Capital, so in no small way, they’re part of the reason we’re still here, the reason we can hope for a better future. They saved us.”

_ Well this is just great. What am I supposed to do now about the waterfall running down my face?  _ Kyuhyun thinks in embarrassment.

He’s touched, but instead of saying so, insists, “You  _ have _ to have had that prepared. Did you at least bring cue cards?”

He sees Zhou Mi begin to pout, probably about how Kyuhyun could at least be a little more appreciative of the effort he put into his speech, before the smile on Kyuhyun’s face makes it clear that he’s just trying to show (in his own emotionally stunted little way) that he’s grateful. Zhou Mi doesn’t say anything then; he takes the younger man’s hand in silence, letting the other recover for a little while longer.

“I haven’t told you this enough, Kui Xian...but I’m so glad you’re still here with me.”

“Me too, Mi. Me too.”

✯

Kyuhyun returns from the trip in a better state of mind than he starts it with. He can’t erase the memories of earlier that morning, but at least Zhou Mi has helped him find his center again. It seems Kyuhyun will forever be in debt to the other man for his kind words and unending optimism.

(Though if he says that out loud, Zhou Mi will probably have something even nicer to say about not owing him anything. He’s too good to be true like that.)

Shindong and Henry are beyond relieved to hear that everyone made it through the mission in one piece. They ask for every story on the wagon-ride back, which Kyuhyun and Zhou Mi tell together, each reminding the other of parts they omit that other members had shared.

The reunion in the hospital lobby is brief but heartfelt. Shindong goes around the circle of Resistance members and gives each one a bone-crushing hug, while Henry is nearly smothered to death by Eunhyuk and Donghae, just barely managing to escape into Ryeowook’s waiting arms.

The receptionist is hesitant at first about allowing the large group into Heechul’s room, but Sungmin finally paying their bill (along with a not-so-subtle bribe) miraculously changes her mind. Thirteen people crammed into the small space is proven to be possible, if a tight fit, and they all chat amongst themselves until a newly stitched-up Heechul wakes up from his drug-induced slumber.

“Am I dead?” Heechul asks as soon as he’s awake. “Because I’ll be honest, I don’t know if being stuck with all of you is Heaven or Hell.”

His dry remark sets the tone for the next few minutes, but when the laughter dies away, Leeteuk takes it as his cue to get to the heart of why they’re all here.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen next,” he says seriously. “The city might be in chaos, or there might be policemen knocking on our door in a few ours. Maybe things are even changing for the better.” A small smile creeps over his face. “Still, that aside, we did well today. All of you were incredible. So from now on, I’m making you a promise to be a better leader.”

A handful of protests come from the assembled members, but Leeteuk silences them with a wave of his hand. “Hear me out. What I’m promising is to stop locking myself away and being an absent leader. I’ve been supporting the idea that keeping everything to yourself is a road to Hell, and now I think it’s time I practiced what I preached.”

Kyuhyun sees his fingers twisting around each other nervously as he continues, “And also...I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I realized that I may have convinced myself that I wasn’t allowed to have anything but my responsibilities. I got so caught up in trying to be a good leader that I may have...let certain opportunities slip through my fingers, and━”

“Oh for crying out loud, Jungsoo, just say it,” Heechul cuts in with a snort.

“I’m trying to make a heartfelt speech! Can you please, for once, tone down on your snark?”

“I would rather rip these stitches out and bleed to death than listen to more of your rambling.”

“You know what? Fine.  _ Fine. _ ” The tone Leeteuk says it in makes Kyuhyun fear for the Resistance leader’s sanity, even more so when he stands up from his chair and stalks over to where Kangin is standing. “Kim Youngwoon!” he says firmly.

Kangin looks half hopeful and half terrified.

“There’s something I need to say,” Leeteuk tells him. “I...um, that is…” The confidence that inspired him just moments ago seems to leave in the blink of an eye, leaving him floundering for words until he takes the other man’s wrist and pulls him in the direction of the door.

“If you’ll excuse us, we have some things to talk about,” the Resistance leader says to the rest of the group, and the two are out of the room before anyone else can get a word in.

On Kyuhyun’s right, he sees Sungmin’s jaw drop. Most of the others seem to have about the same reaction, save Donghae’s overexcited bouncing and Heechul’s satisfied smirk.

“Well, that’s definitely one way to go about it,” Eunhyuk says, breaking the silence.

It sets off a chain of happy, if surprised, agreement, along with a series of old anecdotes about the pair in question that are now acceptable to share. Kyuhyun listens to the conversations with a grin. He hasn’t been here long enough to witness the history those two have together, but the other members’ reactions tell him all that he needs to now.

“So, anyone else have something they want to confess?” Heechul finally says, once the chatter begins to die down. “No leaving the room to say it, though. You can’t all be spoilsports like our leader.”

“I’m completely, head-over-heels in love with Hyukjae.”

“It doesn’t count if everyone already knows, Hae. Good job, though, you made him blush.”

When the Resistance members go to sleep that night in Zhou Mi’s wagon, minus the few who stay in the hospital, their hearts are lighter than they’ve ever been.

✯

“Hyukjae! Hyukjae, wake up; it’s important.”

Eunhyuk groans as he’s pulled back to consciousness. Around him, the others also begin to stir, woken by the same insistent call.

“Jungsoo?” He squints in confusion at the man in front of him. “I thought you were still with Heechul.”

“I was, until I saw what was on the hospital’s TV. Now come on!”

Eunhyuk doesn’t need to be told again. He’s up and out of the wagon immediately, and hears the sound of other footsteps close behind him. If the Resistance leader thinks this is important, he’ll trust the other man’s judgement.

In the lobby, the television screen in the corner of the room displays a reporter against the backdrop of the Capital. She looks shell-shocked, like she can’t believe the words that are coming out of her mouth.

“Chaos in the Capital yesterday: a group suspected to be the Resistance was at the heart of the conflict, and━ Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”

Just as the other members come through the front door, Eunhyuk watches in confusion as a young man on the screen wrestles the reporter’s microphone from her hands, interrupting the news report. But the moment the camera has a clear shot of the stranger’s face, the Shadow Squad leader feels a warm smile spread across his face.

“Hyukjae, it’s Jonghyun,” the young man says, looking directly at the camera. “I don’t even know if you’re watching this, but rumour is that the Resistance all got out of the Capital yesterday, and this is my best bet to reach you...assuming you  _ are _ still alive.”

There’s a small commotion on-screen as the reporter attempts to grab her microphone back and Jonghyun tries to convince her to give him just a few more minutes, during which Shindong takes the opportunity to ask, “Should I know who that is?”

“Kim Jonghyun,” Donghae answers for Eunhyuk, while the latter continues to stare attentively at the television. “The leader of the prisoners we freed.”

Understanding ripples through the group, but any further questions are halted by Jonghyun’s apparent success in maintaining his screen-time.

“I’ll try to keep this quick. Everyone in the Capital saw your broadcast, and the people are calling for justice. Mayor Park and anyone who worked for him are in jail awaiting trial, and the prisoners and I can give our testimony, but the Resistance knows more than anyone what they were up to ━ and you have evidence. I saw the video footage in the broadcast.

“If you’re hearing this, come to the Capital as soon as you can. There’s a council running things for now, made up of a group of ex-prisoners and citizens who can be trusted. They’ll send out an official invitation later asking you to come to a ceremony they’re throwing in your honor...but the real reason you’re needed here is so that you can testify. I promise you’ll be safe.” Jonghyun gives one last, long look to the camera. “ _ Please _ , Hyukjae,” he says, and is gone in another moment.

The reporter continues with the news update, but her voice is only a faint buzz in the back of Eunhyuk’s mind as he processes Jonghyun’s words: their near-deadly confrontation with the Drones hasn’t been for naught; with the help of the prisoners, they’ve really won.

“We did it,” Leeteuk says in a whisper, echoing Eunhyuk’s thoughts. “I...I really can’t believe it.”

An unmistakable voice speaks up from the back of the room, asking, “So when does the celebration party start, huh? I expect the whole works: DJs, twenty kinds of desserts, strippers…”

Eunhyuk turns to see Heechul standing in the entrance to the hallway, dressed in a hospital gown that’s two sizes too big and leaning against the wall on visibly unsteady legs. He’s about to say something, but Leeteuk beats him to it.

“Heechul, you’re not supposed to be out of bed!”

“I’m also supposed to be dead. I guess I’m just not very good at following instructions.”

“This isn’t about proving you’re brave; It’s just stupid, you━!”

“Forget about me for a second. The more important thing is: we’re going to the Capital, aren’t we?”

Leeteuk looks around the room, meeting everyone’s eyes. “Of course we are. Assuming everyone agrees?”

There are no objections.

“Good, we’ll go first thing tomorrow, after we’ve had the rest of today to recover.”

Heechul nods, obviously happy with their leader’s choice. “Also,” he says with a sheepish grin, “now that I’ve said my piece, can someone catch me before I pass out?”

Sungmin is there to grab him just as he begins to collapse.

_ Self-sacrificing bastard _ , Eunhyuk thinks to himself, and rolls his eyes good-naturedly as he moves to help carry the Strategist back to his room.


	12. Chapter 12

_ 2 Days later… _

“That,” Sungmin tells the others, one eye peeking through a slit in the blinds, “is a lot of people.”

“What can I say? I’m popular,” Heechul says with an exaggerated toss of his head.

Kyuhyun wouldn’t have dreamed of dishing out he punch that Sungmin gives the Strategist (he has a little something called self-preservation), but that doesn’t stop him from thinking that it’s rightfully deserved.

“You dare lay a hand on━”

“Cut it out, you two,” Leeteuk interrupts. “They’re going to give us our cue any moment now.”

The reminder makes Kyuhyun nervously readjust his suit for the hundredth time and wipe his sweaty palms on his dress pants. There aren’t many things he’s afraid of, but sometimes he has this... _ thing _ ...about crowds. It’s an irrational fear when compared to others like imminent death (see the previous almost-turned-suicide mission) or Heechul’s wrath (see fear #1), but even Kyuhyun isn’t always bound by laws of reason.

This is, in fact, the ceremony that Jonghyun had tipped them off about two days ago. It had been strange to enter the Capital without being stuffed into the back of a wagon, and even stranger to not be attacked when they were recognized, but Kyuhyun is far from complaining about the warm reception. The group had been ushered inside the government building to wait, while a stage was set up and citizens were gathered for the event.

_ If it’s really as crowded as Sungmin says it is... _ aish _ , you'd think we were an idol group instead of Resistance fighters… _

A young woman approaches Leeteuk, speaking at a level that only the Resistance leader can hear. He nods a few times, and thanks her as she leaves before addressing the group.

“That’s our cue. Ten more seconds, and we walk out that door; stand in a row just like they told us when we got here. Any funny business ━yes, Heechul, I’m looking at you━ and I’m kicking you out of the group.”

“And our order?” Siwon asks him.

“Damn it, I didn’t even...just stand in the order you joined. Zhou Mi and Henry can stand after Donghae and Hyukjae. They’ll want me by the podium anyway, and━ time’s up. Let’s go.”

Kyuhyun waits for the others to file out the door before he does the same, bringing up the rear of their 13-man chain. The thunderous applause that reaches his ears takes him by surprise, but he has to admit: it feels good getting recognition for everything they’ve accomplished, every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears they’ve sacrificed for the sake of what’s right.

When their line across the stage is complete, the speaker at the podium holds up his hands, signalling for the crowd to quiet down.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he says into the microphone, “Look carefully upon these faces. These are the faces of thirteen men who risked everything to bring you the freedom and justice you deserve.” Another round of applause follows his words. “To honor their dedication and perseverance, we have prepared medallions for every single one of them, as a tangible reminder of all that they have done. Jonghyun, if you’re ready?”

The unexpected appearance of said man is even more of a surprise than the crowd turnout, though also much more welcome. Most of what Kyuhyun can recall from the prison break is muddled by fear and adrenaline, but he can definitely remember liking Jonghyun’s magnetic presence. In fact, dressed in a suit just like the others, Jonghyun looks arguably even more charismatic than before. He stands at the end of the stage with a genuinely happy smile on his face and a group of medals looped over his arm, looking like he’s the one that belongs on stage.

“While we hand the medals out,” the speaker continues, “allow me to formally introduce each member in this group of remarkable individuals. First, we have Park Jungsoo…”

Leeteuk inclines his head for Jonghyun to slip the medal’s ribbon around his neck, and the crowd responds with renewed vigor. As the speaker continues down the line, however, Kyuhyun’s mind isn’t focused on the ceremony. Instead, he lets his eyes sweep over the people that are assembled, seeing how the massive group extends all the way down the street.

It’s mind-boggling, he thinks, to consider how many of these lives he’s affected. Is that weary-looking woman one of the freed prisoners? Would that young man have been brainwashed and made into a Drone if not for the Resistance’s intervention? Would that little girl have been forced to share the same fate as the others Kyuhyun had seen locked up in the compounds? It’s just so strange to not think of those he’s been protecting as an abstract ‘them,’ but a more concrete one: these people that stand in front of him now.

A body suddenly blocks Kyuhyun’s vision, bringing him back to the present, and he looks up to see Jonghyun’s familiar face ━ which is a dead giveaway that something is off.

“Nice shoe-lifts,” Kyuhyun teases as the medal is hung around his neck.

Jonghyun grins back, giving him a wink. “Laugh all you want. I’m still the one with a Council seat.”

_ Touché _ _ . _

With the awards handed out to all of the members, the speaker goes on with the ceremony, speaking dramatically into the microphone. “But what kind of thanks would it be if we stopped here? We have something else we want to offer you just as we’ve offered to all those who have been liberated from the prisons: a place for you to live in the Capital. As many residencies as you’ll require, and right near the center of the city.”

The crowd cheers, and Kyuhyun looks down the line of Resistance members to see their expressions of varying surprise and excitement. The Council had certainly spared no expense in expressing their gratitude.

“I have only one last thing to say to our city’s heroes. This isn’t a gift, but rather a request. Park Jungsoo, leader of the Resistance, the Council has discussed it and the people have agreed to it...will you accept our humble offer of a seat on the Council?”

Leeteuk looks like he’s been completely taken-off guard, which Kyuhyun can’t help but agree with. He’d thought for sure that after the Council’s request earlier that day to run tests on Yesung’s radiation resistance (a request that said man had readily agreed to), they would be out of bombshells to drop. But really, if there’s someone who deserves to have a Council seat, if there’s someone who can be depended on not to let that power go to his head, it’s Leeteuk.

The Resistance leader is ushered to the podium, and he hesitantly adjusts the height of the microphone, looking out into the sea of people.

“I don’t know what to say,” he admits. “This is a huge honor. I’m not sure if it’s something I deserve, but if you trust me to do this...I will do everything I can to honor that trust. I’ll accept the position gratefully.”

The members on stage join in with the crowd’s impassioned clapping this time around, pride coming off of them in waves.

The speaker leans around Leeteuk so that his voice is picked up by the mic. “Any last words you’d like to give the Capital’s citizens?” he asks.

“Actually,  _ I _ don’t. But my fellow member, Lee Hyukjae, has something important to say.” Leeteuk slides the mic out of its stand while he talks, much to the speaker’s visible distress. It seems he hadn’t prepared for the ceremony to veer even a little off-course.

Eunhyuk takes the microphone with a grateful nod, tapping it twice as a quick check before he says, “Hello, everyone. First of all, I’d like to give another ‘thank you’ for the kindness you’ve extended to us; knowing that we were able to make a difference is enough of a reward, but we will cherish the gifts you’ve given.”

Predictable pause, perfunctory clapping.

_ What is he getting at? _

“There is, however, only one thing I need to make me happy, so I hope you won’t mind me taking a few moments of your time.”

Kyuhyun catches a glimpse of a knowing smile flashing on Leeteuk’s face, and he has just enough time to wonder what those two are up to before Eunhyuk sinks to one knee in front of the man standing next to him.

“Lee Donghae,” Eunhyuk starts, meeting the brunet’s shocked expression. “I’ve known you since we were five years old, and ever since that day on the playground I haven’t left your side. In all honesty, I don’t think I could, even if I wanted to.”

His voice softens, sounding so intimate that witnessing the moment almost seems like an intrusion. “You complete me, Hae. You’re my other half. And I was already planning on spending the rest of my life loving you, but I remember what we talked about the night before this last mission. I remember what you told me...so here I am now, doing this on my terms and no one else’s.”

Donghae looks like he’s either about to burst into tears or pass out on stage when Eunhyuk withdraws a small box from his back pocket.

“Lee Donghae, center of my universe and love of my life...will you marry me?”

_ So that’s what it looks like to be the happiest man in the world _ , Kyuhyun thinks with a surge of affection for his two members ━ and he could have been referring to either of them after Donghae’s immediate nod, his jumbled, mostly inaudible reply of “yes, of course, of  _ course _ .” Eunhyuk hardly manages to slip the ring onto the other man’s finger before drawing Donghae into his arms.

Sungmin is the first to applaud, the rest of the members quickly following his lead, but the reaction from the crowd is...more than a little disappointing. The occasional clap can be heard, but it’s nothing compared to the hushed muttering that replaces the silence.

_ Don’t do this; don’t ruin it for them _ , Kyuhyun starts to think. He’s about to give them a piece of his mind when Leeteuk pries the microphone from Eunhyuk’s death grip and faces the audience.

“I hope,” he says, a practiced smile still on his face, “that you’ll show the same generosity as before in granting Hyukjae and Donghae this one happiness.”

Looking uneasy, the speaker moves to intercept the microphone, but Jonghyun gets there first.

“After all you’ve done, we’d be more than willing to recognize their marriage,” he agrees with a pointed look into the crowd. “But I think our audience was a bit in shock over the sudden proposal; they forgot how to cheer. Let’s take a moment to extend our most sincere congratulations to Hyukjae and Donghae!”

_ I could almost kiss him right now _ , Kyuhyun muses, though with the strange look Ryeowook sends his way, he realizes he may have been thinking out loud.

Instead of embarrassment, he feels a sudden rush of nostalgia.  _ Ending my time in the Resistance the same way I started, huh? By completely ruining any hope I had for an image. _

Now all he needs is for someone to back him into another wall, and it would be a mirror image.

He’ll have to see if Zhou Mi is busy later.

✯

The Resistance members are standing around backstage giving Donghae and Eunhyuk their congratulations when a woman barrels into the center of the group.

Kyuhyun’s first thought is that they must have started attracting fans (does he even have a signature picked out to use for an autograph? How interested is he supposed to act without seeming ridiculously lame?), right up until Shindong takes one look at her and loses all color in his face.

“Mom?”

He’s just gotten the single word out when she closes the distance between them, crying as she latches on to him.

“Donghee,” she says through her tears. “My beautiful son...it really is you.”

“Mom…” Shindong holds her at arm’s length, staring at her like he can’t really believe she’s there in front of him. “I thought you were dead.”

She smiles, reaching out to wipe away a lone tear that escapes Shindong’s wide eyes. “Don’t cry, my Donghee; I’m here now. When the Drones took your father and I, he made sure I never made it to the prison. I managed to stay alive here in the Capital, even when I had to start from nothing.”

Her voice falters. “I thought for sure that you were dead, or at the very least that I would never see you again. But then,  _ then _ I thought I heard your voice on that broadcast. You didn’t give your name, and it was different than I remembered, but I had this  _ feeling _ . That feeling brought me to the ceremony today...and I recognized my handsome son the moment you stepped foot on that stage.”

Kyuhyun sees the exact moment Shindong’s composure slips, and he chooses that moment to turn away, giving the other man some privacy. To his surprise, he feels someone’s arm circle around him ━ Zhou Mi’s arm, he amends with a quick look. All it takes is one shared glance for him to realize why: Zhou Mi expects Kyuhyun to feel devastated, jealous,  _ something _ , after realizing that he can never be in Shindong’s shoes.

Except the thing is...he isn’t devastated.

He isn’t jealous.

He’s just goddamned happy that Shindong is able to hold his mother again.

Which is why, in its own small way, that little moment means more than Kyuhyun can properly express. He’s healing; he’s been hurt but far from broken. And standing there surrounded by those he’s come to call his friends, held by the one he’s come to love…

Kyuhyun finally feels like he’s home.

✯

_ 3 Days later… _

The sound of a doorbell ringing pulls Heechul’s focus away from the speech he’s been revising ━ Leeteuk’s speech, he should clarify; he’d sooner shave his own head than have to present one of these in front of the Capital’s citizens...though, on second thought, if that’s really the choice he’d have to make…

The ringing grows more insistent, and on the couch across from him, Leeteuk’s eyes flicker up from his book, shifting to Heechul.

“Who do you think it is this time?” Leeteuk asks, sounding understandably weary.

“Probably another one of the Council’s errand-boys here to bother you about something ‘of the utmost importance’ again.”

The other man sighs. “I should still answer it.”

“Honestly, Jungsoo, you’re going to work yourself to death. Let me see who it is, and if the Council sent them, I’ll have them bring a message back from me.”

“Is that the best idea?” A tired smile pulls at the corners of Leeteuk’s mouth. “Knowing you, you’ll cost me my position and give the poor boy nightmares for at least a year.”

“It sends a message, doesn’t it?” Heechul stands, stretching his spine with a faint  _ pop _ , and goes to answer the door before Leeteuk realizes he’s only half-joking.

_ Ring-ring! Ring-ring! _

_ I’m going to rip that thing out of the wall first thing tomorrow. Jungsoo will never notice. _

One hand on the doorknob, he takes a deep breath and aggressively swings it open, yelling, “Can’t you idiots realize when someone is over overworked and━ oh shit, sorry, Hyukjae.”

Said man stands in the doorway with Donghae at his side and an unimpressed eyebrow raised a few inches higher than normal. “Expecting someone?” he asks dryly.

“No one I wanted to see. But I have to say, you two were probably the last people I expected to show up. I thought you’d be up to your necks in wedding magazines by now.”

“You do realize we’ve only been engaged for three days, Heechul. There hasn’t been a lot of time for thinking about…” A nudge and a pointed look from Donghae has him trailing off. “But that’s not why we’re here.”

“We need you to come with us,” Donghae tacks on, finally speaking up. “Get Jungsoo and we’ll leave right now.”

Heechul sticks a hand out, pressing the back of it against Donghae’s forehead. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

The younger man’s expression doesn’t change. “I’m serious.”

“We really don’t have time to explain,” Eunhyuk agrees. “Just trust us for now and ask your questions later.”

_ You put someone on Shadow Squad for two years and suddenly they think they’re a super-spy. Honestly… _

“Fine,” Heechul concedes, holding his hands up in mock-surrender. “I’ll go get Jungsoo. But if you’re being over-dramatic to con me into looking stupid, you’ll face my wrath.” He pauses, reconsidering. “Or at least  _ you _ will, Hyukjae. Your  fiancé’s  puppy-dog eyes are an indomitable defense.”

At last, Donghae smiles.

✯

When the group walks through the front doors of the hospital, Heechul feels his heart sink to his feet.

_ No, this was supposed to be over! No one else was supposed to get hurt! _

This would explain Donghae and Eunhyuk’s unwillingness to reveal anything to him, why they had refused to tell him where they were going until they were literally inside of the building. But who would have been hurt? It isn’t any of the four of them, and he’d just seen Kangin that morning...could that blockhead have gotten into trouble so quickly?

“Seriously, you two, what the hell is going on?” Heechul demands, making a few heads turn his way.

Leeteuk places a calming hand on his shoulder, but seems to share the same sentiment. “We’ve let you string us along for long enough. Now we need answers.”

Eunhyuk shoots Donghae a quick glance. “Your answer is in one of the back rooms. We’re almost there.”

“And you can’t just tell us?” Heechul asks sharply.

“We...weren’t sure how you’d react, to be honest. It’s better this way.” Eunhyuk stops walking in front of a room, bringing the group to a halt. “Just in here,” he says, and swings the door open to reveal the room’s interior.

Heechul takes one look and runs back out.

“Heechul!” Donghae’s voice rings out through the hallway. “Heechul, wait!”

_ Fuck. FUCK. This isn’t happening. _

He runs blindly down the maze of whitewashed halls, not caring where he ends up as long as it’s far away from  _ there _ . A sick feeling bubbles up in his stomach, to the point that he nearly vomits, and he feels wrong,  _ wrong. _

“Will you please stop running, Heechul!?”

_ That’s it: wrong. I’m dreaming again. This is almost exactly what happened the other times. _

He looks down at his hands as he runs, counting his fingers one by one. If there aren’t ten, then he’ll know for sure...but there they are. Ten shaking fingers, just as they should be.

_ Dammit! _

The discovery brings him up short, and in no time, Donghae catches up to him. He’s panting, showing the signs of fatigue that Heechul would be feeling had he not been running on panic and adrenaline.

“Give me your arm,” Heechul says suddenly. The other man looks at him in confusion, but complies anyway, only to have his wrist forcefully snatched.

“Ow, that  _ hurts _ !”

But Heechul isn’t concerned about this illusion of Donghae that his mind has created; his full attention is on the clockface of said man’s watch. The narrow hands on of the clock point to exactly 2:09. He closes his eyes for a few moments and takes a deep breath before checking once again.

2:10. Time flows as usual.

_ Why isn’t it working!? I know I’m dreaming! _

Letting go on Donghae’s arm, he feels his heart speed back up as his desperation reaches its peak. What is he supposed to do now? He’s tried the only two tricks he knows, and they’ve gotten him nowhere.

He must seem batshit insane, because when Donghae looks at him, it’s a look of fear. “Heechul,” the younger man says uncertainly, “I know you’re upset right now. I know you’re feeling a lot of different things, but if you’d please━”

“I need to wake up.”

“...Wake up?”

“You heard me. I can’t stand being in this dream any longer. Just pinching myself doesn’t work, so I guess I’ll have to try something more drastic. There should be a scalpel in one of these rooms, shouldn’t there? I’ll just━”

“ _ No! _ ”

Heechul suddenly can’t move from the tight hold Donghae has on him from behind. In the waking world, the protective gesture would have left him touched, but not when he has his mind set on escaping this plane of illusions. “Get off of me,” he snarls.

“Not until I know that you won’t hurt yourself.”

“You’re not helping by keeping me here! Like I said, I need to wake up, and I don’t know how the hell else to do it!”

“Why are you so convinced that you’re dreaming?”

Something in Heechul snaps. “Because only my worst nightmares are this cruel!” His outburst is met only with silence. In a more restrained voice, he continues, “I already know what’s going to happen. If I go into that room, when I wake up...I will  _ break _ , Donghae. It won’t be the first time.”

The younger man’s hold on him slackens, turning into more of a real embrace. “How about this,” Donghae says gently. “Tell me what it would take to convince you that this is reality.”

A short bark of laughter leaves Heechul’s lips. “Like I’m falling for that. I’m not about to help some figment of my subconscious trick me into believing a lie.”

“Where were you this morning?”

“What kind of a question is that? And will you  _ please _ let go of me?”

Donghae ignores his second question, still insistent on making his point. “Think about it, Heechul. The thing about dreams is that you can never remember how you got there or why you’re in a certain situation; the timeline doesn’t make sense. But I’m guessing you can remember every detail of today before Hyukjae and I showed up at your door.”

“Not true. Before that, I was...okay, I went to get Jungsoo from the government building. But before that…” He breaks off, feeling all at once like a complete idiot and like his world has turned itself upside down. “Holy shit,” he manages to get out, and finds himself sagging against Donghae, overwhelmed.

“It’s a lot to take in. But don’t overthink it, okay? All you need to do is walk through those doors.”

_ Let my feet do my thinking for me. I can do that. Pull yourself together, Heechul. _

“Well, then,” he says, sounding much more confident than he feels, “Why am I still standing here?”

✯

This time, when he steps over the room’s threshold, Heechul doesn’t bolt. He does feel a little light-headed, almost like he might drift away or pass out entirely, but this is too important for him to miss.

Leeteuk hardly acknowledges Heechul’s return, but Eunhyuk gives him a soft smile before he speaks to the room’s other occupant.

“He’s here.”

Deep brown eyes gaze at Heechul from the hospital bed, the smile that rests beneath them even more beautiful than he remembers. All of the air is sucked from his lungs in one great rush, leaving him breathless.

“Hi, Heechul.”

His legs seem to move by themselves again, only this time they don’t rush him out the door; they practically fly across the room, carrying him to the one he thought had been lost forever. Every part of him screams to reach out, to hold, to touch, yet this close he finds himself frozen in place. His wide eyes drink in the sight before him like it’s the only chance they’ll ever get.

“Geng…” he whispers, barely audible even to his own ears. “Is it really…?”

“It’s really me, yeah.” The smile on Han Geng’s face could outshine even the brightest star. “Listen, I know you have a lot of questions and it’s much too soon to be asking for favors, but all I could think about for the past four months was holding you and…”

And Heechul just  _ loses _ it. He clings to Han Geng with all thoughts of appearances thrown aside, unable to suppress the broken sound that issues from his lips. He has to stop himself from digging his nails into the other man’s back, from finding any way to convince himself that he’s really here. Even the fingers softly running through his hair and the sweet nothings whispered in his ear feel surreal.

“How?” Leeteuk’s awestruck voice comes from the other side of the room.

“It’s...quite the story.” There’s a pair of successive pats on Heechul’s back, and he reluctantly pulls away. “You could be a little more comfortable, hmm?” the other man asks him. “Donghae, if you can move me to the side a few more inches, Heechul can sit next to me.”

The man in question agrees with an understanding smile, but Heechul is at a loss as to why Han Geng needs help in the first place...until he sees his legs being dragged uselessly across the hospital bed. Then the puzzle pieces start to click together.

“You can’t move your legs?” Heechul asks, cautious but admittedly curious. He doesn’t want to bring it up if the other man doesn’t want to talk about it, but ignoring it seems even worse. Or maybe he’s just grasping at straws, trying to get answers to  _ something _ , even if it isn’t the one question he can think of no answer for.

Han Geng grimaces. “I can’t even feel anything from my waist down. When that beam collapsed on me in the warehouse back in July, it crushed something in my spine. Still, I’ll take being paralyzed over being dead nay day.”

Leeteuk’s voice is quiet when he asks, “And Kibum?”

The other man shakes his head, expression somber, and Heechul sees the Resistance leader take a shaky breath.

“But…” Heechul runs the words over in his head, struggling to pair what he thought were the facts with these new revelations. “I watched the building collapse. How could you have possibly made it out?”

“Would you believe it if I said Mayor Park’s men rescued me?” At the others’ incredulous expressions, Han Geng lets out a half-hearted laugh. “It’s true. The beam actually protected me from most of the falling debris, and the policemen were insistent on taking me to one of their prisons to use as leverage. It took a while, but they pulled me out.

A grin flashes on his face. “The joke was on them, though. As soon as I was processed at the prison, I was forgotten ━ passed off as a no-name cripple who’d been unlucky enough to get thrown in with everyone else. It was a challenge to survive without being able to walk, but...I managed. There were noble people in that prison.”

“And they didn’t brainwash you?” Leeteuk asks, sounding just as overwhelmed as Heechul feels.

“They wouldn’t waste their resources on me; I still wouldn’t be able to use my legs after the brainwashing, so I’d be useless as a soldier. I was overlooked for four whole months...until all of you managed to turn the Capital on its head, and the prisoners from every compound were suddenly free. I was admitted as a patient here the same day, and as luck would have it, Donghae and Eunhyuk ran into me this morning while they were searching for any survivors they knew.”

“Hyukjae,” Eunhyuk corrects him, blatantly avoiding any comment on what he’d been up to. “The days when we needed second identities are behind us.”

“Hyukjae...the last time I called you that, it was on accident soon after I joined, and I thought you were going to smother me in my sleep.”

“Not if I had anything to say about it,” Heechul chimes in with a weak voice. The shock has started to release him from its tight grip, but that hasn’t stopped him from reverting back to standing awkwardly in the spot by Han Geng’s bedside.

Han Geng’s smile softens. “I don’t doubt that for a second.” He seems to realize that Heechul is still standing, because he insistently pats the narrow space next to him, saying, “Sit down. I promise I won’t bite.”

Heechul takes a hesitant seat beside him. “Sorry” he apologizes a bit sheepishly. “It’s not that I don’t want to be next to you. It’s just…”

“Hard to adjust?” the other man suggests, his tone becoming even more gentle.

“Something like that.” Heechul glances in the others’ direction before he says something more personal, but his eyes find only the empty room. So they’re going to give the two some time by themselves, are they? Heechul is going to have to thank them later, maybe even spare them from the sharp talons of his sarcasm for a few weeks.

“Hey, Geng, is it okay if…? You know…”

A low laugh precedes Han Geng’s immediate answer of “Of course. After all this time, you’re still above asking to cuddle, huh?”

“It’s not cuddling. I just want to hold you, and you happen to be trapped on a hospital bed.”

“Ah, the great Kim Heechul’s pride is still as inflated as ever, I see.”

“Did you think that would change?”

A soft smack from Han Geng collides with Heechul’s arm, and it’s only then that the latter realizes just how wide of a stupid smile is stretched across his face. Not the smirk that’s so often plastered there, not the slight upturn of lips that signals when Shindong has told a particularly ridiculous joke ━ a legitimate, wholehearted smile. The last time he was able to do that…

The rush of emotions that follows that thought sweeps through him all at once, and he doesn’t think twice before sinking down to stretch out across the hospital bed. He welcomes Han Geng’s embrace with open arms, breathing in the familiar scent from where his head is tucked beneath the other man’s chin.

“I missed you so much,” he says quietly, all traces of humour abruptly discarded.

Fingers trace along Heechul’s spine. “I missed you, too, more than I can put into words. There were so many times I wanted to pull off an escape, but…” Han Geng’s deep sigh runs through both of their bodies. “It would have been nearly impossible even if I  _ could _ use my legs, so you can imagine my chances in this state.”

Heechul doesn’t offer a response. After having spent the past months forcing himself to try and move on, he would be content to lay like this for as long as time allowed.

“Heechul...I know it’s been a long time. Far too long.”

“Mmm.”

“And I never expected you to wait for me. There was no way for you or any of the members to know I was alive. I still care for you, just like I did before, but I’ll understand if you’ve found someone else.”

_ If there’s one thing that could almost convince me of the existence of a god, it’s that Han Geng exists. _

Shifting so that he can look the other man in the eyes, Heechul replies with a rare tenderness, “No one could ever compare to you.”

“So, does that mean…?”

“Don make me say it again, you idiot. I’m still yours, and you’re still mine.”

The dazzling smile that appears on Han Geng’s face lasts for only a fleeting moment before it’s replaced by a look of regret. “You know I won’t be able to do a lot of normal things now.”

“Stop it. You don’t need to do this.”

“We won’t be able to━”

“I love you,” Heechul blurts, effectively shutting the other man up.

“What?” Han Geng looks like he doesn’t know whether to be elated or utterly confused. Even Heechul has to admit that he himself is surprised at his sudden outburst.

“That’s what I forgot to tell you,” he admits. “The day of the mission. I don’t know how much you remember, but when we both thought you were going to die...that was the first time you told me you loved me. And being the idiot I am, I only realized after Sungmin dragged me away that I forgot to tell you the same thing.”

Warm hands envelop Heechul’s own, and he nearly cries at their feeling of familiarity. Even after being unable to hold them for what seems like an eternity, he can still feel that same steadfast comfort that Han Geng’s touch always brought him.

“That’s what’s been on your mind this whole time? Heechul…” Han Geng reaches out to cup the other’s face, stroking a thumb across his cheek and giving him a look so full of emotion that Heechul almost can’t believe it’s meant for him. “I’m never going to leave you again. That’s a promise.” The conviction in his voice feels strong enough to move mountains, like even fate itself would change course if it means Han Geng keeping his word.

“And I promise never to get sick of you,” Heechul murmurs. A breakdown lingers behind his words, but he wants to keep it together. He wants to make this moment last, especially when Han Geng’s answering smile is the only thing filling his vision. He could have drifted off just like that, with Han Geng’s arm stretched like a lifeline between them and an aura of warmth lulling him to sleep, had the other man not spoken up.

“Heechul,” Han Geng asks in hardly a whisper, “Can I kiss you?”

Happiness bubbles up in Heechul’s chest, curling his lips into an immediate grin. “What kind of a question is that?”

After a good-natured shake of his head, Han Geng leans in to close the distance between them, managing yet again to take Heechul’s breath away. Even without words, the unspoken ‘I love you, too’ is as clear as day, the connection undeniable as two souls reunite in joyous harmony.

A second chance is a rare gift. Neither of them are going to take it for granted.

✯

Not all humans, Kyuhyun has concluded, are inherently stupid lifeforms. And it’s not just the thrill of victory that triggers this revelation. The proof is everywhere he looks: in the hope of a breakthrough with research on Yesung’s radiation resistance, in the endless possibilities for change that Leeteuk is helping to create on the Council, in the loving way Heechul looks at Han Geng ━ Han Geng, who was welcomed back with immeasurable joy and more than a few tears ━ when he pushes the other man around in his wheelchair. Really, ever since the unexpected raid on his Cluster months ago, Kyuhyun has witnessed enough to become surprisingly optimistic.

Maybe there’s hope for humanity yet.


End file.
